Marc Marquez led MotoGP World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Circuit Of The Americas, in Texas. Riding his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP26 on spec Michelin tires, the seven-time World Champion turned a lap time of 2:00.927 to lead the 21-rider field.
Ai Ogura was the best of the rest with a 2:00.980 on his Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP26.
Fabio Di Giannantonio was third at 2:01.114 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Team Ducati Desmosedici GP26.
Marco Bezzecchi finished the session fourth with a 2:01.127 on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26.
Alex Marquez, riding his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP26, got fifth with a lap time of 2:01.213.
More from a press release issued by MotoGP:
Marc Marquez bounces back to go fastest on Friday, Ogura on the chase. The #93 ends the day fastest at a signature track despite his FP1 tumble – with the Aprilia charge led by Ogura in Texas, just 0.053 off the top.
Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) suffered a fast off in FP1 at the Red Bull GP of the United States, but come the end of play on Friday the seven-time MotoGP Champion was back on top at a venue he’s called his own more than any other rider. That said, it was a close-run day on the timesheets, with Ai Ogura – for home team Trackhouse MotoGP Team – just 0.053 off the top. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) takes P3 on Friday, 0.187 off Marc Marquez at the top.
After Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) stole the show in the morning at the top and Marc Marquez the headlines with his crash – rider ok – there was plenty at stake on Friday afternoon. There were nine crashes overall: Diggia, Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), two for Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), Ogura, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) and Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) in the first half hour, before the clock ticked down and only Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) slid out late on.
By the end of the classic end of session charge for the top, Marc Marquez was back on top – but Ogura’s lap did run him close. Both were set late in the session, with the Aprilia just 0.053 off. Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) was forced to settle for fourth on Friday – although just 0.013 off Diggia, who had breifly sat top of the session before the #93 turned up the wick, in third.
Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) slots into fifth, with Acosta taking sixth on Day 1. Martin, despite his crash, takes seventh ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) and Bastianini. For Bastianini, it’s his first time straight to Q2 since the 2025 Catalan GP – when he also took a podium on Sunday.
Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) is the first to just miss the cut in P11, with Binder another high-profile name down the order after his late crash – the #33 taking 19 on Friday.
There’s another chance for two more riders to move through to Q2 in qualifying on Saturday morning so make sure to tune in for more MotoGP on super Saturday at the Red Bull US GP!
