MotoGP News: Marc Marquez tops Friday practice at Misano

Marc Marquez (pictured) claimed Friday honors at the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera, clocking a blistering 1:30.480 around Misano in a fiercely contested Practice session.

The top 10 were separated by a mere 0.461s, with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) nipping at his heels in P2—0.147s adrift—on home soil at Misano. Franco Morbidelli rounded out the podium for Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, setting the stage for a high-stakes Saturday.

Early Exchanges: Marquez Sets the Pace

The session’s opening hour was a nail-biter at the sharp end, with Marquez leading the charge. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) shadowed him within a tenth in P2, while Bezzecchi lurked in P3 as the clock ticked into the final 30 minutes.

As time attack mode loomed, the provisional top 10 read: Marquez, Morbidelli, Di Giannantonio, Bezzecchi, Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team).

That group was blanketed by just 0.461s, while the top 17 spanned only 0.733s—promising a brutal battle for direct Q2 berths.

Time Attack Ignites: Benchmarks Tumble

With 15 minutes remaining, the fireworks started. Bagnaia (#63) surged to P5 before snatching provisional fastest with a two-tenths edge—but Marquez swiftly raised the bar to 1:30.480, extending it by three more tenths. Bezzecchi fired back into P2, 0.163s shy, while reigning champion Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) briefly cracked the top 10 before his lap was deleted.

Alex Marquez locked in P4 with nine minutes left, only for Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) to displace him with a 1:30.819—0.339s off the pace. Bezzecchi then shaved his deficit to 0.147s, towing teammate Martin into P6 and bumping Quartararo outside the top 10 with under four minutes to spare.

Chaos ensued with yellow flags waving: Augusto Fernandez (Yamaha Factory Racing Team) tumbled at Turn 2, Mir at Turn 9, and Raul Fernandez at Turn 15. The final crash wiped several laps, including a promising one from Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who languished in P18.

Late drama delivered: Marini held a scorching final lap to snatch P7 at the flag, edging out Quartararo and leaving Bastianini fuming—two Barcelona podium threats now fighting through Q1.

Ducati edged Aprilia on Day 1, with Morbidelli the lone other rider dipping under two tenths of Marquez. P4 is a morale lift for Bagnaia, while Alex trails his brother but stays ahead of the curve from Barcelona. HRC scores a double with Mir and Marini, and Martin’s direct Q2 entry could flip his Misano title defense. Acosta and Di Giannantonio round out the auto-promotions.

Saturday Spotlight: Q1 Blockbuster Awaits

Q1 erupts at 12:45 local time, pitting Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), Quartararo, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Bastianini, and more in a do-or-die dash for the top two spots. Don’t miss the Tissot Sprint later—Misano’s twists promise fireworks.

Friday Practice Results

* Rookie