Márquez snatches Phillip Island FP1 lead as Miller crashes and Martín finishes seventh

News Summary

• Marc Márquez topped Australian MotoGP FP1 with a 1:27.985, beating Raúl Fernández by just 0.048 seconds.
• Jack Miller finished third despite crashing shortly after leading the session, while Marco Bezzecchi took fourth and championship leader Jorge Martín seventh.
• Francesco Bagnaia struggled to 18th, while rookie Diogo Moreira was 20th in the opening session at Phillip Island.

Marc Márquez led the opening free practice session for the 2026 Australian MotoGP Grand Prix at Phillip Island on Friday (October 23), producing a late lap of 1:27.985 to beat Raúl Fernández by just 0.048 seconds. The Ducati rider moved to the top of the timesheets in the closing moments of an eventful 45-minute session that featured several crashes and a mechanical failure.

Fernández recovered from a heavy fall at Turn 7 to secure second place for Trackhouse Aprilia, while local favourite Jack Miller finished third with a 1:28.120 despite crashing at Doohan Corner shortly after moving into the lead.

Marco Bezzecchi was fourth for Aprilia, 0.293s behind Márquez, followed by Álex Márquez on the Gresini Ducati. Pedro Acosta completed the top six for KTM, ahead of championship leader Jorge Martín, who finished seventh on the factory Aprilia.

Ai Ogura, Fabio Quartararo and Fabio Di Giannantonio completed the top ten.

At the other end of the classification, factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia finished 18th, 1.677s off the pace, while LCR Honda rookie Diogo Moreira was 20th with a 1:29.905.

Márquez beats Fernández with final Phillip Island lap

The opening session began in warm and sunny conditions at Phillip Island, with an air temperature of approximately 25°C and track temperatures reaching 38°C. Winds were measured at around 17 km/h.

Bezzecchi established the early benchmark with a 1:28.781, initially leading Martín, Fernández, Álex Rins and Acosta.

Márquez moved up the order during the first ten minutes, recording a 1:28.920 before continuing to improve as the session progressed.

The Ducati rider eventually lowered his time to 1:28.595 and moved ahead of Bezzecchi, but the Italian responded with a 1:28.278 to reclaim first place.

Fernández then entered the fight at the front, producing a 1:28.210 after returning to the circuit following his earlier accident.

Miller went faster still in the closing minutes, putting his Pramac Yamaha at the top of the standings with a 1:28.120.

However, the Australian’s advantage lasted only briefly. Fernández improved to 1:28.033 before Márquez delivered the decisive 1:27.985 on his final flying lap.

Márquez finished 0.048s ahead of Fernández and 0.135s clear of Miller, establishing the fastest time in the first session of Phillip Island’s final Australian MotoGP weekend under the current agreement.

Miller crashes after taking lead at home Grand Prix

Miller was one of the main protagonists of the session, putting Yamaha among the leading manufacturers despite the difficulties the Japanese company has experienced during the 2026 season.

The Australian moved into first place during the final minutes with his 1:28.120, temporarily pushing the Ducatis and Aprilias behind him.

However, Miller lost control of his Pramac Yamaha at Doohan Corner shortly after completing the lap, sliding into the gravel.

The incident brought an abrupt end to his attempt to improve further, although the 31-year-old escaped injury.

His time remained good enough for third place when the chequered flag fell.

Miller had previously acknowledged that Yamaha could face difficulties at Phillip Island, particularly because of the circuit’s fast corners and the demands placed on the motorcycle.

The Australian is contesting his final MotoGP appearance at the venue before the Grand Prix moves to Adelaide in 2027.

Fernández and Lecuona escape heavy crashes at Turn 7

Fernández’s second place came after a dramatic incident during the first half of the session.

The Trackhouse rider lost control of his Aprilia at Turn 7, sliding across the gravel and towards the tyre barriers.

The Spaniard had arrived in Australia still recovering from a hand injury sustained during the Indonesian Grand Prix, raising concerns when he appeared to protect the affected area as he fell.

However, Fernández was able to return to the pits and subsequently resume the session on his second motorcycle.

His recovery culminated in a 1:28.033, which briefly put him on top before Márquez’s final improvement.

Iker Lecuona also suffered a heavy accident at the same corner.

The Gresini substitute, replacing the injured Fermín Aldeguer, lost control and slid towards the barriers. His Ducati bounced back from the tyre wall while he was still in the gravel.

Lecuona escaped injury and finished 17th.

Brad Binder encountered a different problem when his KTM suffered an engine failure on Gardner Straight, releasing a significant amount of smoke.

The South African subsequently returned to the circuit on his spare motorcycle and finished 11th.

Martín seventh as championship rivals Márquez and Bezzecchi impress

The session also provided the first comparison between the leading contenders for the 2026 MotoGP World Championship.

Martín arrived at Phillip Island holding a narrow two-point advantage over Márquez, with Bezzecchi also involved in the title battle following his victory at the Indonesian Grand Prix.

The three riders occupied different positions during FP1.

Márquez finished first, Bezzecchi fourth and Martín seventh, with the Aprilia championship leader recording a 1:28.438.

Bezzecchi was among the fastest riders throughout the session, briefly leading the classification before the late improvements by Miller, Fernández and Márquez.

Martín was 0.453s behind the Ducati rider at the end of the opening practice.

However, FP1 does not determine direct qualification for Q2. That will be decided during Friday’s subsequent timed Practice session, when the ten fastest riders secure places in the final qualifying segment.

Bagnaia struggles as Moreira finishes 20th

Bagnaia experienced a difficult opening session on the second factory Ducati.

The Italian finished 18th with a best lap of 1:29.662, leaving him 1.677s behind teammate Márquez.

He was also behind both KTM Tech3 riders, Álex Rins, Johann Zarco and Gresini substitute Lecuona.

Moreira also struggled to establish a competitive lap on the LCR Honda.

The Brazilian was initially running in the lower half of the classification with a 1:30.308 before improving to 1:29.905.

That left him 20th, ahead of only factory Honda rider Luca Marini, who finished 21st with a 1:34.033.

Moreira ended the session 1.920s behind Márquez and 0.760s behind LCR teammate Zarco, who was 12th.

The Brazilian will have another opportunity to improve during Practice, with positions in the top ten determining direct access to Q2.

Australian MotoGP 2026 FP1 results — full classification

What time is the next Australian MotoGP session?

MotoGP returns to Phillip Island later on Friday for the timed Practice session, which determines the ten riders who advance directly to Q2.

The session begins at 15:00 local time in Melbourne (AEDT), corresponding to 05:00 BST in the United Kingdom, 00:00 EDT in New York and 01:00 BRT in Brazil.

Saturday’s qualifying sessions and sprint will follow, with the main Australian Grand Prix scheduled for Sunday, October 25.

The full international timetable is available in the Australian MotoGP 2026 schedule and start times guide.

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.