MotoGP News: Acosta Tops Surprising Sepang Practice 1

In a session full of twists, turns, and a dash of rain, Pedro Acosta (pictured) stole the spotlight at the Sepang International Circuit on Friday. The young KTM star clocked a blistering 1m57.559s to top the MotoGP Practice timesheets, edging out Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) by just 0.019 seconds.

Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) completed the podium in third, capping off an afternoon of unpredictability that left several big names scrambling for Q1 redemption.

Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) clawed his way into direct Q2 contention despite a pair of crashes, but the plot thickened for the sport’s elite: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team)—the winners of the last three Grands Prix—will all have to battle through Qualifying 1 on Saturday morning. MotoGP’s flair for drama was on full display.

Early Tumble for Acosta, Aldeguer Takes Charge

The session got off to a bumpy start for Acosta, who slid out at Turn 10 and spent the opening 20 minutes without a competitive lap time. As he regrouped, teammate Fermin Aldeguer wasted no time asserting himself. The rookie sensation surged to the top with a 1m58.279s, leading Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and the ever-threatening Bagnaia in the early skirmishes.

Rain Looms as the Pace Heats Up

With 30 minutes remaining, the leaderboard held steady: Aldeguer, Mir, and Bagnaia at the sharp end, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) lurking in the top five. Alex Marquez sat sixth ahead of Bezzecchi, while Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Zarco, and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) rounded out the provisional Q2 qualifiers.

Then came the first warning signs—rain flags fluttered as light drizzle teased the circuit. Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) capitalized, vaulting to fifth and bumping Zarco to 11th. But the Frenchman hit back immediately, storming to provisional pole and displacing Quartararo from the top 10. Not to be outdone, the Yamaha rider strung together scorching red sectors of his own, reclaiming the lead with a 1m58.113s.

Chaos ensued for Marquez, who suffered his second spill of the day at Turn 2. The rain intensified in patches, adding urgency to every flying lap. Marquez briefly tumbled outside the top 10, while Bezzecchi and Bagnaia held fifth and 10th, respectively.

Acosta timed his resurgence perfectly, slotting into sixth with a lap that nudged Di Giannantonio into Q1 territory. The field retreated to the pits with 12 minutes left, leaving everyone wondering if one final push was feasible. Marquez, now down in 14th and fighting for second in the Riders’ Championship, was desperate for it.

Final Frenzy Delivers Shock Results

The gamble paid off spectacularly. With seven minutes on the clock, the pack rolled out for a do-or-die assault on the top 10. Marquez struck first, leaping to third and consigning Bagnaia to 11th. Acosta, however, dropped the hammer: his 1m57.559s put him half a second clear, rewriting the script in an instant.

Bagnaia responded with grit, improving but falling 0.048 seconds shy of salvation. Zarco and Miller pounced into second and third, sealing the Italian’s Q1 fate—the 2024 Malaysian GP winner now faces an early qualifying hurdle. Aldeguer hunted for late improvements but came up short, as did Bezzecchi and Fernandez, the recent Australian GP victor. In a cruel twist, the champions of the past three rounds were all consigned to the preliminary shootout.

MotoGP’s magic lies in moments like these—unpredictable, unforgiving, and utterly captivating.

Mir secured fourth ahead of Quartararo in fifth. Di Giannantonio rallied late to sixth, with teammate Franco Morbidelli seventh. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3) continued his strong form in eighth, while Marquez’s clutch effort landed ninth. Rins clung to 10th despite a late crash.

Sepang Practice 1 Results