MotoGP News: Bezzecchi tops Practice 2 at Motegi

Marco Bezzecchi (pictured) emerged as the rider to beat after a thrilling MotoGP Practice session at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, despite two crashes in FP1.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

“The day didn’t start off on the best note, but we managed to turn it around,” said Bezzecchi. “Leaving aside the two mistakes in the morning, I was confident and kept pushing because I felt a great connection with the bike. I’m very happy and want to thank all the guys on my team who did a great job fixing the bikes, especially the first one, which was quite badly damaged.”

Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) secured P2, while Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) made a late charge to claim P3 after languishing outside the top 10 for most of the hour-long session. Meanwhile, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) faces Q1 for the first time in 2025 after finishing P15, adding intrigue to qualifying on this crucial match point weekend for his brother, Marc.

A Dramatic Friday in Japan

The session started chaotically for Aprilia Racing. Alongside Bezzecchi’s earlier crashes, Jorge Martin went down unhurt at Turn 5, with the top three from FP1—Marc Marquez, Francesco Bagnaia, and Martin—languishing in P20, P21, and P22 after 15 minutes. Mid-session, the factory Ducati duo of Marquez and Bagnaia climbed to P11 and P13, while Alex Marquez sat last in P23. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) set the early pace with a 1:44.044, followed closely by Bezzecchi (+0.051s) and Acosta in third, as Yamaha led Aprilia and KTM.

The drama continued with Martin crashing again at Turn 7 and Alex Marquez hitting the gravel at Turn 9, still stuck in P23 with 25 minutes remaining. As the session neared its final 15 minutes, Bagnaia jumped to P5, while Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) briefly claimed P1 on Honda’s home soil. Bezzecchi then set a new benchmark with a 1:43.623, only for Acosta to edge him out by 0.066s. Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) also broke into the top 10.

In the final 10 minutes, Alex Marquez climbed to P5, with Martin hot on his heels in P4. Marc Marquez’s first time attack left him in P11, but Bagnaia surged from P9 to P1 on his second attempt. With three and a half minutes left, Marc Marquez, stuck in P14, posted two red sector splits and a personal best in Sector 3 to secure P3. The top spot changed hands three times in the closing moments: Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) briefly led before Acosta and Bezzecchi traded fastest laps. Acosta’s session ended early with a crash at Turn 1.

In the final 30 seconds, Alex Marquez, Martin, and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) were tied with identical times in P11-P13. Alex Marquez’s last lap was canceled, relegating him to Q1. Meanwhile, Quartararo launched a late charge from P15 to P8, and Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda HRC) snatched P10, bumping Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) to P11.

Top 10 in Japan

1. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing)
2. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
3. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team)
4. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol)
5. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)
6. Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol)
7. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)
8. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP)
9. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team)
10. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda HRC)

Looking Ahead to Tissot Sprint Saturday

A breathtaking Friday sets the stage for an electrifying Saturday at Motegi. With Marc Marquez on the cusp of a potential title-winning weekend, all eyes are on whether he can capitalize on his first match point in Japan.

Friday Practice 2 Results