News Summary
- Marc Márquez topped FP1 and Marco Bezzecchi led Practice, with the Ducati and Aprilia riders establishing themselves among the principal contenders at Phillip Island.
- Aprilia placed four riders inside the top five in the afternoon, but Márquez remained competitive between the RS-GPs.
- Jorge Martín finished seventh and fifth in Friday’s sessions, leaving the championship leader chasing additional pace with just two points separating him from Márquez.
Marco Bezzecchi and Marc Márquez emerged as two of the strongest contenders during Friday’s (October 23) opening sessions for the Australian MotoGP Grand Prix, while championship leader Jorge Martín completed a more subdued first day at Phillip Island. The Aprilia and Ducati riders divided the fastest laps between them as the fight for the 2026 title entered another crucial weekend.
Márquez began by leading FP1 with a 1:27.985, beating Raúl Fernández by just 0.048 seconds. Bezzecchi was fourth, 0.293s behind the Ducati rider, but had spent much of the session among the leading names.
The situation changed during the afternoon’s decisive Practice. Bezzecchi produced a 1:26.775 in the closing minutes, finishing 0.072s ahead of Fernández and 0.126s clear of Márquez, who had briefly led the session after becoming the first rider to lap below 1min27s.
Martín finished seventh in FP1, 0.453s behind Márquez, before improving to fifth in Practice, 0.255s behind Bezzecchi.
All three title contenders advanced directly to Saturday’s Q2, although their performances reflected different levels of competitiveness during the opening day.
Bezzecchi responds to Márquez and maintains Aprilia’s momentum
Bezzecchi arrived at Phillip Island following his victory in Indonesia, where Aprilia had established a strong competitive advantage over its rivals.
The Italian immediately demonstrated that the RS-GP could also perform at the Australian circuit, despite Phillip Island’s substantially different characteristics.
He briefly led FP1 before Márquez and Fernández improved late in the session, but remained close enough to the front to finish fourth.
During Practice, Bezzecchi became involved in an incident with Álex Márquez near Turn 4. The Aprilia rider made contact with the rear of the Gresini Ducati, damaging his motorcycle before crashing.
The debris prompted a red flag, and Bezzecchi returned to the pits before continuing on his spare bike.
The interruption did not prevent him from recovering his pace. After Marc Márquez and Pedro Acosta had led parts of the session, Bezzecchi moved to the top during the final qualifying simulations.
His 1:26.775 was enough to secure first place, continuing the momentum established during the Indonesian Grand Prix.
Bezzecchi also won the Australian sprint in 2025 and enters the weekend as the third-placed rider in the championship, 46 points behind Martín.
Márquez keeps Ducati in contention despite Aprilia dominance
Márquez’s performance offered Ducati encouragement despite Aprilia’s strong collective showing.
The Spaniard was fastest in FP1 and remained competitive throughout the afternoon, repeatedly challenging the leading Aprilia riders.
His final Practice time of 1:26.901 was identical to Ai Ogura’s best lap, although Márquez was classified third and the Trackhouse rider fourth.
The result placed Márquez between Fernández and Ogura, with Bezzecchi ahead and Martín immediately behind the Japanese rider.
Aprilia therefore filled four of the top five positions, leaving Márquez as the only Ducati representative among the leading group.
The six-time premier-class world champion has a particularly strong record at anticlockwise circuits, where his riding style has frequently allowed him to challenge at the front.
Phillip Island also suits the type of fast, flowing cornering in which Márquez has historically been competitive.
However, the strength demonstrated by both factory and satellite Aprilias means Ducati will face opposition from more than one rider during qualifying and the races.
Fernández, who won last year’s Australian Grand Prix, was particularly competitive throughout Friday, finishing second in both sessions.
Ogura’s fourth place further demonstrated the pace available to Trackhouse, while Martín remained within 0.255s of his factory teammate.
Martín secures Q2 despite quieter Friday
Martín began the Australian weekend holding a two-point championship advantage over Márquez after regaining the lead in Indonesia.
The Aprilia rider finished seventh during the morning session before moving up to fifth in Practice.
Although those results secured direct qualification for Q2, he was unable to match the final pace of Bezzecchi and Márquez.
The Spaniard is racing an Aprilia at Phillip Island for the first time, having previously competed at the circuit with Ducati machinery. The different characteristics of the RS-GP require adjustments to his approach at a circuit where confidence through the fast corners is particularly important.
Martín acknowledged after Friday’s sessions that adapting his riding style remains part of the challenge. He reported excessive front-tyre wear during the morning before improving his feeling with the motorcycle in the afternoon.
The championship leader considered his progress positive but recognised that he still needed to improve his pace.
His fifth-place finish also meant he was behind three other Aprilia riders, with Bezzecchi, Fernández and Ogura all posting faster laps.
For Martín, the immediate objective is to convert Friday’s direct Q2 qualification into a competitive starting position for the sprint and Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Australia could reshape MotoGP title fight
The narrow gap between Martín and Márquez increases the importance of the Australian weekend.
Only two points separate the championship leader from the Ducati rider, while Bezzecchi remains mathematically involved despite his larger deficit.
Friday’s times indicated that all three have competitive motorcycles, although they approached the opening sessions differently.
Márquez led FP1 and challenged throughout Practice. Bezzecchi improved in the afternoon to secure first place, while Martín remained inside the top ten without occupying the leading positions during the final time attacks.
However, single-lap pace does not necessarily determine race performance.
Tyre management, sustained lap times and changing weather conditions are likely to influence Saturday’s sprint and Sunday’s main race.
Rain is forecast during the remainder of the weekend, potentially altering the competitive order established in Friday’s dry conditions.
The forecast also increases the importance of Saturday’s qualifying session, particularly if riders encounter different levels of grip.
Fernández emerges as another threat to Bezzecchi and Márquez
Although Bezzecchi and Márquez shared the fastest times, Fernández also demonstrated enough pace to contend for the leading positions.
The Trackhouse rider finished second in both sessions, remaining within 0.048s of Márquez in FP1 and 0.072s of Bezzecchi during Practice.
His performances came despite a hand injury sustained during the Indonesian Grand Prix and another heavy fall during Friday’s opening practice.
Fernández recovered to continue the session and subsequently remained among the quickest riders in the afternoon.
The Spaniard’s pace adds another complication for the title contenders, particularly because he does not have the same championship priorities as Martín and Márquez.
Ogura’s fourth place also means Aprilia has multiple riders capable of competing near the front.
Saturday’s Q2 will provide the next comparison between the contenders, with the qualifying result setting the starting order for both the sprint and Sunday’s Grand Prix.
For the complete Practice classification and the ten riders advancing directly to Q2, see who qualified for Q2 at the 2026 Australian MotoGP.
The complete Friday results, including Bezzecchi’s recovery from his crash and the interruption caused by a wallaby, are available in the Australian MotoGP Practice report.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the Australian MotoGP Grand Prix at Phillip Island this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its MotoGP section.
