News Summary
- Pedro Acosta topped Austrian GP Practice with a 1:28.381, beating Fermín Aldeguer by 0.127s.
- Ai Ogura secured third after receiving medical clearance, while title rivals Marc Márquez and Jorge Martín finished fourth and fifth.
- Francesco Bagnaia was only 18th and Diogo Moreira took 13th, leaving both riders in Q1.
Pedro Acosta dictated the pace throughout the opening day of the Austrian MotoGP weekend, completing a Friday sweep by leading Practice at the Red Bull Ring.
After heading a KTM one-two in FP1, Acosta produced a 1:28.381 during the decisive afternoon session. The Spaniard improved by another 0.010s on his final run and finished 0.127s clear of Fermín Aldeguer.
The result underlined KTM’s strong start on home ground, but it also carried a warning. While Acosta demonstrated both one-lap speed and consistency, the next factory KTM was Brad Binder in seventh, 0.269s behind.
Ai Ogura delivered the most impressive comeback of the session. The Trackhouse Aprilia rider had his fitness reassessed after FP1 and received medical clearance to continue the weekend. He responded by taking third, only 0.187s away from Acosta.
Marc Márquez and Jorge Martín began the Austrian weekend level on 274 points in the MotoGP standings, and remained closely matched in Practice. Márquez finished fourth, 0.204s behind Acosta, while Martín was fifth and only 0.018s slower than his title rival.
Fabio Di Giannantonio placed sixth ahead of Binder and Álex Márquez. Marco Bezzecchi followed in ninth, while Fabio Quartararo claimed the final direct Q2 position.
Quartararo’s margin was minimal. The Yamaha rider finished just 0.004s ahead of Luca Marini, who must now contest Q1 after ending Practice in 11th.
Late red flag transforms final minutes
The session was stopped with approximately 11 minutes remaining following an unusual crash for Álex Márquez at Turn 1. The front of the Gresini Ducati appeared to fold as the bike settled after a wheelie, scattering debris across the circuit.
Márquez escaped without serious injury, but the interruption produced a tense ten-minute shootout once the session resumed.
Johann Zarco also crashed at Turn 4. Diogo Moreira, arriving immediately behind the Frenchman, narrowly avoided the fallen Honda after running through the gravel.
Moreira eventually finished 13th, 0.558s behind Acosta. The Brazilian showed competitive pace during the session, but several mistakes at Turn 4 prevented him from securing direct passage into Q2.
Francesco Bagnaia endured an even more difficult afternoon. The Ducati rider finished 18th, 0.885s off the benchmark, and will appear in Q1 for the fifth consecutive MotoGP weekend.
2026 Austrian MotoGP Practice results
| Pos. | Rider | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P. ACOSTA | KTM | 1:28.381 | — |
| 2 | F. ALDEGUER | Gresini Ducati | 1:28.508 | +0.127 |
| 3 | A. OGURA | Trackhouse Aprilia | 1:28.568 | +0.187 |
| 4 | M. MÁRQUEZ | Ducati | 1:28.585 | +0.204 |
| 5 | J. MARTÍN | Aprilia Racing | 1:28.603 | +0.222 |
| 6 | F. DI GIANNANTONIO | VR46 Ducati | 1:28.633 | +0.252 |
| 7 | B. BINDER | KTM | 1:28.650 | +0.269 |
| 8 | Á. MÁRQUEZ | Gresini Ducati | 1:28.702 | +0.321 |
| 9 | M. BEZZECCHI | Aprilia Racing | 1:28.811 | +0.430 |
| 10 | F. QUARTARARO | Yamaha | 1:28.817 | +0.436 |
| 11 | L. MARINI | Honda | 1:28.821 | +0.440 |
| 12 | J. ZARCO | LCR Honda | 1:28.865 | +0.484 |
| 13 | D. MOREIRA | LCR Honda | 1:28.939 | +0.558 |
| 14 | E. BASTIANINI | Tech3 KTM | 1:29.061 | +0.680 |
| 15 | P. ESPARGARÓ | KTM | 1:29.091 | +0.710 |
| 16 | Á. RINS | Yamaha | 1:29.101 | +0.720 |
| 17 | F. MORBIDELLI | VR46 Ducati | 1:29.191 | +0.810 |
| 18 | F. BAGNAIA | Ducati | 1:29.266 | +0.885 |
| 19 | R. FERNÁNDEZ | Trackhouse Aprilia | 1:29.330 | +0.949 |
| 20 | T. NAKAGAMI | Honda | 1:29.596 | +1.215 |
| 21 | J. MILLER | Pramac Yamaha | 1:29.949 | +1.568 |
| 22 | T. RAZGATLIOĞLU | Pramac Yamaha | 1:29.982 | +1.601 |
MotoGP today: FAQ
Who was fastest in Indonesian MotoGP Practice at Mandalika?
Raúl Fernández topped Friday’s Practice with a new Mandalika lap record of 1:28.725, leading an Aprilia 1-2-3 ahead of Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martín. Marc Márquez finished fifth, 0.220s behind championship rival Martín. All four qualified directly for Q2.
Can Marc Márquez take the MotoGP championship lead in Saturday’s sprint?
Yes. Márquez trails Jorge Martín by just two points, 331 to 333. The Ducati rider can move ahead by scoring at least three more points than Martín during Saturday’s sprint. A Márquez victory would guarantee the championship lead regardless of Martín’s result.
What time is Indonesian MotoGP qualifying and the sprint on Saturday?
Qualifying begins at 10:50 local time on Saturday, October 10, equivalent to 03:50 BST in the UK and 22:50 EDT on Friday in the United States and Canada. The sprint starts at 15:00 local time, equivalent to 08:00 BST and 03:00 EDT on Saturday.
Who was fastest in Austrian MotoGP Practice?
Pedro Acosta led the session with a lap of 1:28.381, finishing 0.127s ahead of Fermín Aldeguer.
