Reigning champion Marc Marquez calls Sepang one of his worst tracks, while brother Alex views it as a favourite, highlighting the circuit’s divisive nature ahead of the 2026 MotoGP season.
THE Sepang International Circuit remains a track of starkly contrasting opinions within the MotoGP paddock.
Reigning world champion Marc Marquez has labelled the 5.543km Malaysian layout as one of his “worst tracks”.
The Ducati Lenovo Team rider cited a persistent struggle with the circuit’s design, which clashes with his aggressive riding style. “To be honest, it’s one of my worst tracks,” Marquez said during the 2026 season launch.
“It’s one of the layouts that I struggle with the most.”
In direct contrast, his brother Alex Marquez of the BK8 Gresini Team holds Sepang in high esteem. The younger Marquez, who won last year’s Malaysian Grand Prix, views it as a favourite venue.
“It is one of my favourite tracks,” Alex stated. “I have achieved many good results here, and I have a really good feeling at Sepang.”
He also highlighted the unique passion of the local crowd at the circuit. “The Asian fans are really noisy, passionate and ‘crazy’ in a way we love,” he added.
Despite his historical difficulties at Sepang, Marc Marquez enters the new season feeling relaxed. The seven-time champion said the pressure of defending his title does not weigh heavily on him.
“I don’t feel pressured because the most challenging thing in my career, coming back from injury, is already done,” he explained.
Alex Marquez heads into the 2026 campaign with confidence after topping the winter testing timesheets. He also cherishes a special memory from the Malaysian circuit, having clinched his Moto2 world title there.
The Malaysian Grand Prix has been a fixture at Sepang since 1999, barring the 2020 and 2021 seasons cancelled due to the pandemic. The 2026 event is anticipated to draw record crowds as the sibling rivalry intensifies on the global stage.