MotoGP News: Morbidelli tops Friday practice in Qatar

Franco Morbidelli (pictured) got the better of factory Ducati riders Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez to top Friday practice for the 2025 Qatar MotoGP at the Lusail International Circuit.

As attack crunch time neared in the final Friday practice session, Alex Marquez led the way with a 1m51.704s with the top three, including Bagnaia and Marc Marquez, split by 0.092s. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) was enjoying himself in the first 40 minutes, the Spaniard was fourth quickest ahead of the two Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team riders – Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio.

With 15 minutes to go, the first fresh soft Michelin rubber lap times were starting to come in. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) stuck their YZR-M1s into the top 10 before the goalposts were moved significantly – first by Morbidelli, then by Bagnaia. The latter’s first attack was a 1m50.975s, 0.2s clear of his fellow Italian, as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) leapt to P3 ahead of Viñales.

That didn’t last long though. Di Giannantonio jumped to P3 before Marc Marquez moved his way into P2, 0.022s shy of Bagnaia. Then, after a slight lull in proceedings, we strapped in for the final flurry of rapid laps around Lusail on Friday.

Quartararo was a big mover. The 2021 World Champion ascended to P5 from outside the top 10, but that was quickly P6 as Di Giannantonio improved his PB to go to P3. Miller then crashed for the second time today, Turn 7 bit the Aussie, so that brought out the yellow flags.

That meant a lot of riders had one go at a final throw of the Practice dice. One of them was Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), the rookie rose to P9, as Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Castrol) landed a last gasp lap to pinch a Q2 place away from Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).

2025 Qatar MotoGP, Lusail – Friday Practice Results

* Rookie