Marquez sets the pace in Sepang Moto GP test

MOTOGP world champion Marc Marquez, feeling rejuvenated after shoulder su r ger y, d re w f i r st blood on Wednesday by being the fastest on the f i rst day of t he pre-sea son test i n Malaysia.

In scorch i ng temperat u res Marquez, Spain’s champion in wait ing, powered his Honda to log the quickest time of 1min 59.621sec.

“I have another spirit and it is k ind of an adrenaline in my body and this is important,” he told reporters with a smile.

The 25-year-old reigning f ive time cha mpion who under went a fou r- hour shoulder operation in December, completed 29 laps.

Marquez also said he was not going to push himself too hard in Sepang to avoid any setback in his recover y.

It is t he f irst time t he Spaniard has ridden a MotoGP bike since the early December surger y and he focused on its engine performance.

Marquez admitted he experienced pain during left turns and braking, forcing him to change his riding style.

But signalling his determination to remain competit ive in t he opening race in March, Marquez displaced A lex Ri ns to second spot a f ter t he Suzuki rider led t he test during t he early part of t he day.

Rins logged 0.259 seconds slower while Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales, who stormed to a sensational victory at Phillip Island in October, posted the third fastest time at 1 min 59.937sec.

MotoGP race r iders f rom Honda, Ducat i, Ya maha a nd Su zuk i a re at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit.

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo is the only 2019 race r ider absent, due to his recent wrist injur y but is hoping to make the tests in Qatar bet ween Februar y 23 and 25.

The triple world champion will ride for Honda this season alongside compatriot Marquez after switching from Ducati.

Ducati’s Tito Rabat was fourt h, followed by Danilo Pet r ucci a lso on a Ducati.

Italian Valentino Rossi on a Yamaha f i n i s h e d s i x t h , c l o c k i n g 2 m i n 00.054sec.

Rossi will celebrate his birt hday on Febr ua r y 16, when t he n i ne-t i me world champion turns 40.

The of f icia l f i r st pre-sea son test runs from Wednesday to Friday at the Sepang circuit. The season k icks off in Qatar on March 10.