Holgado and Quiles take pole in Sepang’s heat

· Holgado is back on pole. Daniel Holgado (Kalex) claimed pole position in Moto2™ qualifying for the 2026 Malaysian Grand Prix with 2’02.875, just 17 thousandths of a second shy of the all-time lap record. This marks his first pole since the Brazilian GP earlier in the season. The CFMOTO RCB Aspar Team rider came ahead of Ángel Piqueras (Kalex) and Izan Guevara (Boscoscuro), while championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) finished ninth. All riders used the soft SC1 front and supersoft F0192 rear tyre combo, confirming the most popular choice in earlier sessions.

· Third pole for Quiles. On the fifth of his six laps, Máximo Quiles (KTM) clocked a 2’10.396 to secure his third pole position in Moto3™. Brian Uriarte and Hakim Danish completed an all-KTM front row. In qualifying, all riders went with the soft SC1 rear option, while front tyre choices were split between the soft SC1 and medium SC2. Quiles and Uriarte opted for the medium, and Danish chose the soft.

· Abrasive asphalt and high temperatures. Recent flatwork resulted in some of the track sections being rougher and more abrasive, with small pieces of asphalt debris on the surface, causing greater tyre wear. And the track temperatures above 50°C further reduced grip levels, making Sepang particularly demanding on tyres.

Tyre management will be crucial in Sepang races
 
“Recent flatwork on the Sepang circuit’s most problematic sections successfully removed bumps and dips. However, the removal of material left the surface particularly rough and abrasive, resulting in higher tyre wear than in the majority of circuits. High air temperatures – and consequently high track temperatures – further reduce grip levels.
Therefore, teams will need to strike the best balance between grip, performance and tyre wear management over the race distance to succeed. We have witnessed a clear preference in Moto2™, with the soft SC1 front and supersoft F0192 rear tyres being the most popular option so far. Some riders, particularly in FP2, compared the F0192 with the standard soft SC0. However, the latter offers less grip, leading to more sliding and limiting its potential.
In Moto3™, everyone went with the soft SC1 rear option in qualifying, paired with either the soft SC1 or medium SC2 front. However, rear tyre choices may differ during the race, with several riders potentially going for the medium SC2 to keep wear under control.
In the end, tyre management will be one of the crucial aspects for a strong race, especially in the closing stages”.