Sports · Motorsport · 2 hrs ago
Bezzecchi leads Aprilia charge in Australian GP practice
Marco Bezzecchi topped Friday practice for MotoGP’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, Australia.
He set a fastest lap of 1 minute 26.775 seconds on his Aprilia.
Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez was second, while Ducati’s Marc Marquez took third and Aprilia’s Ai Ogura and Jorge Martin finished fourth and fifth.
The session had two interruptions: Bezzecchi crashed after contact with Alex Marquez’s Ducati, and a wallaby later appeared near the track.
The results help determine which riders go straight into the second qualifying stage, with Alex Marquez sixth and Honda’s Diogo Moreira ninth among those through.
Friday’s pace may not predict the rest of the weekend, as rain is forecast.
Honda’s Luca Marini stopped riding because of illness, and his condition will be checked again on Saturday; Joan Mir is also absent from the weekend because of health issues.
Marco Bezzecchi topped Friday practice for the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island with a fastest lap of 1m26.775s.
Aprilia placed three riders in the top five, with Raul Fernandez second and championship leader Jorge Martin fifth.
Marc Marquez was the only Ducati rider in the top three, finishing third after leading early in the session.
Practice was interrupted by crashes and a wallaby on the track.
Luca Marini withdrew from Friday running because of illness, leaving the factory Honda team without a rider in practice.
- Who
- Marco Bezzecchi led the session. Raul Fernandez and Marc Marquez finished second and third.
- What
- Bezzecchi topped Friday practice for the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix.
- When
- Friday, October 23, 2026.
- Where
- Phillip Island, Australia.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Bezzecchi collided with Alex Marquez’s Ducati and crashed, bringing out a red flag.
A wallaby on the track prompted another red flag.
Riders switched to soft rear tyres for qualifying simulations.
Bezzecchi’s 1m26.775s lap remained fastest, ahead of Fernandez and Marc Marquez.
- Bezzecchi’s fastest lap
- 1m26.775s
- Second place
- Raul Fernandez
- Third place
- Marc Marquez
- Championship leader
- Jorge Martin, fifth
- Factory Honda
- No rider took part in practice