Summary
- Álex Márquez leads with a 1:42.811, ahead of Pedro Acosta and Marc Márquez.
- Jorge Martín finishes eighth and Diogo Moreira ninth, both advancing directly to Q2.
- Francesco Bagnaia finishes 16th and must contest Q1 on Saturday.
Álex Márquez led Friday’s decisive MotoGP Practice session at the Japanese Grand Prix, setting a 1:42.811 to beat Pedro Acosta by just 0.076s. Marc Márquez completed the top three, exactly a tenth behind his younger brother.
The Gresini rider delivered his fastest lap during the final qualifying attempts at Motegi, taking first place from Acosta. Marco Bezzecchi finished fourth, followed by Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio.
Fabio Quartararo secured seventh ahead of championship leader Jorge Martín, while Diogo Moreira and Johann Zarco completed the ten riders advancing directly to Saturday’s Q2. Francesco Bagnaia was only 16th, leaving the Ducati rider facing Q1.
Álex Márquez wins the late battle at Motegi
The order changed repeatedly as riders switched their attention to securing a top-ten position. Marc Márquez, Bezzecchi and Acosta all moved to the front before Álex Márquez produced the session’s quickest lap.
Acosta’s 1:42.887 put KTM within striking distance of Gresini’s Ducati, while Marc Márquez finished on 1:42.911.
Further down the order, the fight for the final direct Q2 place was even closer. Zarco edged Fermín Aldeguer by just 0.004s, sending the Gresini rider into Q1.
Moreira qualifies for Q2 despite crash
Moreira finished ninth with a 1:43.306, securing a direct Q2 appearance despite falling at Turn 5 late in the session. His earlier lap remained enough to keep him inside the top ten.
Zarco also crashed, at Turn 13, but retained tenth place. Earlier incidents involved Álex Rins and Luca Marini.
The session was interrupted after Ai Ogura’s Aprilia suffered an engine problem, leaving smoke and oil on the main straight. The Japanese rider returned on his second bike after the stoppage but finished 15th.
Bagnaia ended immediately behind Ogura, 0.775s off the fastest lap. Both must now finish among the top two in Q1 to join the pole-position battle.
Japanese MotoGP 2026: Friday Practice results
The top ten advance directly to Q2.
| Pos. | Rider | Team/Manufacturer | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Á. MÁRQUEZ | Gresini/Ducati | 1:42.811 | — |
| 2 | P. ACOSTA | KTM | 1:42.887 | +0.076 |
| 3 | M. MÁRQUEZ | Ducati | 1:42.911 | +0.100 |
| 4 | M. BEZZECCHI | Aprilia | 1:43.029 | +0.218 |
| 5 | E. BASTIANINI | Tech3/KTM | 1:43.160 | +0.349 |
| 6 | F. DI GIANNANTONIO | VR46/Ducati | 1:43.197 | +0.386 |
| 7 | F. QUARTARARO | Yamaha | 1:43.230 | +0.419 |
| 8 | J. MARTÍN | Aprilia | 1:43.275 | +0.464 |
| 9 | D. MOREIRA | LCR/Honda | 1:43.306 | +0.495 |
| 10 | J. ZARCO | LCR/Honda | 1:43.385 | +0.574 |
| 11 | F. ALDEGUER | Gresini/Ducati | 1:43.389 | +0.578 |
| 12 | B. BINDER | KTM | 1:43.429 | +0.618 |
| 13 | R. FERNÁNDEZ | Trackhouse/Aprilia | 1:43.485 | +0.674 |
| 14 | F. MORBIDELLI | VR46/Ducati | 1:43.527 | +0.716 |
| 15 | A. OGURA | Trackhouse/Aprilia | 1:43.579 | +0.768 |
| 16 | F. BAGNAIA | Ducati | 1:43.586 | +0.775 |
| 17 | L. MARINI | Honda | 1:43.688 | +0.877 |
| 18 | J. MILLER | Pramac/Yamaha | 1:43.728 | +0.917 |
| 19 | S. CHANTRA | Honda | 1:43.896 | +1.085 |
| 20 | Á. RINS | Yamaha | 1:44.304 | +1.493 |
| 21 | T. RAZGATLIOĞLU | Pramac/Yamaha | 1:44.411 | +1.600 |
| 22 | M. VIÑALES | Tech3/KTM | — | — |
Saturday brings another practice session, qualifying and the Sprint. Readers can check the complete Japanese MotoGP schedule, including Sprint and race start times.
MotoGP is racing this weekend, from 2–4 October, in Japan. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action at Motegi.
MotoGP today: FAQ
Who was fastest in Japanese MotoGP practice?
Álex Márquez topped Friday’s Practice at Motegi with a 1:42.811, beating Pedro Acosta by 0.076s. Marc Márquez finished third, while championship leader Jorge Martín was eighth.
What time is Japanese MotoGP qualifying?
Qualifying begins on Saturday, 3 October, with Q1 at 02:50 BST in the UK, 07:20 IST in India and 11:50 AEST in Sydney and Melbourne. In the US and Canada, that is 21:50 EDT or 18:50 PDT on Friday, 2 October. Q2 starts 25 minutes later.
Why is Takaaki Nakagami out of the Japanese MotoGP?
Nakagami fractured his collarbone in a crash during Friday’s opening practice at Motegi. The injury ruled him out of the remainder of his home Grand Prix weekend.
Who was fastest in Japanese MotoGP practice?
Álex Márquez led Friday’s Practice session with a 1:42.811, beating Pedro Acosta by 0.076s.
