(Editorial Note: Luca Marini received an eight-second penalty for a tire pressure violation, dropping him down to 13th place in the Indonesian GP Sprint race.)
Marco Bezzecchi won the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25 on Michelin control tires, the Italian won the 13-lap race by 0.157 second.
Rookie, Fermin Aldeguer was the runner-up on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24.
Raul Fernandez finished third on his Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP25.
Aldeguer’s teammate, Alex Marquez was fourth.
Joan Mir got fifth on his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V.
Marc Marquez finished the sprint race 7th and Francesco Bagnaia 14th on their Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Marc Marquez leads the championship with 544 points, 198 ahead of Alex Marquez who has 346 points. Francesco Bagnaia is third with 274 points.
Bezzecchi beats Aldeguer on final lap in a Mandalika Sprint stunner. The Italian comes back from a poor start to overtake the rookie in the closing stages as Fernandez earns debut MotoGP podium.
Marco Bezzecchi vs Fermin Aldeguer. Aprilia Racing’s Italian vs BK8 Gresini Racing’s rookie, and boy was it a Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia Tissot Sprint treat that we’ll remember for a long time. It was Bezzecchi who completed an incredible comeback after a poor start to overtake the Ducati rider on the final lap for the gold medal, as Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) took P3 from the front row to earn his first rostrum in MotoGP.
Poor start from Bez, Marc Marquez handed Long Lap penalty
From the off, Bezzecchi didn’t get a good launch from pole as Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) briefly led from P6, but the Italian was wide to allow Aldeguer and Fernandez through, as well as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
Turn 10 on the opening lap saw Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) make contact, which saw both run wide, with the Yamaha star coming out the worse of the two. It was an incident that saw the World Champion handed a Long Lap penalty, which he took on Lap 3, and that dropped him to P13.
Aldeguer leads, Acosta crashes from P2
At the front, Aldeguer was leading by half a second from Acosta, with Fernandez still third ahead of Marini and Bezzecchi. As we watched Bezzecchi attempt a pass at Turn 1 on Marini, we then cut to Acosta in the gravel at the same corner. The KTM star was down and out of P2 which handed Aldeguer a 1.8s lead, with Bezzecchi now chasing Fernandez for P2.
Aldeguer vs Bezzecchi unfolds
As soon as he got a bit of clean air, Bezzecchi set the fastest lap of the Sprint. With eight laps left, the Italian was just over two seconds away from the leader. Aldeguer’s best friend in this Sprint was second place Fernandez and on Lap 8 of 13, Bezzecchi was swarming all over the rear tyre of the Trackhouse rider.
A pass for P2 came at Turn 10 on Lap 8 and at this stage, the gap between Aldeguer and Bezzecchi sat at 1.9s. A lap later it was 1.2s because Bezzecchi slammed in a 1:29.638 – a new fastest lap of the Sprint, and that compared to Aldeguer’s 1:30.379. This was some sensational pace from the polesitter and after a very sluggish start that saw him drop to P8, the #72 was well in the victory hunt.
With two laps to go, the gap was down to 0.5s as Bezzecchi took another four tenths off of Aldeguer’s lead and at the start of the last lap, it was 0.3s. Then, it was nothing.
Turn 10 was the place again for Bezzecchi and he got the job done despite being slightly wide. He picked up Aldeguer but the rookie wasn’t giving this up without a fight. It was close through Turn 12, but Bezzecchi had the advantage and he managed to hold it to the line. A stunning comeback from Bezzecchi to catch and pass Aldeguer on the last lap as the pair treat us to a brilliant Saturday Sprint in Mandalika, as Fernandez held onto his first Sprint podium in P3.
Your Saturday points scorers
Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) crossed the line in a fairly lonely P4 to strengthen his grip on P2 in the overall championship, with Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) completing the top five. Marini dropped to P6 in the end, with Marc Marquez cutting his way back through the field after his Long Lap to finish in P7. The final two points of the Sprint went to Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team duo Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio, as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), last weekend’s Sprint and Grand Prix winner, finished 29s off the win in P14 to see Bezzecchi close in on P3 overall.
Ducati Lenovo Team’s disappointing Saturday didn’t stop them from clinching the Teams’ Championship though. Congratulations to all in red for another fantastic season, but they’ll be searching for a better day at the office tomorrow.
Coming up: Grand Prix Sunday
Well, Saturday has set us up very nicely indeed for Sunday in Indonesia. Can Bezzecchi complete the perfect weekend? Or can Aldeguer and co take it to the Italian and Aprilia? We’re keen to find out.
Diogo Moreira was the man to beat during Moto2 World qualifying Saturday at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. The Brazilian rider topped qualifying session with a new lap record time. Riding his Italtrans Racing Team Kalex, Moreira navigated the 2.67-mile (4.30 km) course in 1:32.341, breaking Manuel Gonzalez’s 2025 All-Time Lap Record of 1:32.597 he set this morning in FP2.
David Alonso was second-best with a 1:32.499 on his CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team Kalex.
Izan Guevara claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:32.516 on his BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.
American Joe Roberts finished Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session 20th with a best time of 1:33.181 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Moreira smashes lap record for Mandalika pole. The Brazilian leaves it late to topple Alonso as South Amreica start 1-2 and Gonzalez heads Row 2.
Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) will start from pole for the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, with the Brazilian slamming in a new lap record right at the end of qualifying to deny David Alonso (CFMoto Power Electronics Aspar Team) the top spot. Alonso starts second ahead of Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2), up from Q1, with Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) pushed down to P4.
Alonso was holding provisional pole until the very last flying lap from Moreira, with the Brazilian able to find enough to take over on top, break the previous lap record, and leapfrog title rival and points leader Gonzalez.
The #18 is joined on Row 2 by Daniel Holgado (CFMoto Power Electronics Aspar Team) fresh from the top step in Japan, and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing).
Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing) and Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) complete the top ten – with Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) one notable absence there as he once again failed to make it up from Q1.
Adrian Fernandez earned pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Riding his Leopard Racing Honda on Pirelli control tires, Fernandez turned a lap time of 1:37.022. Not only was that good enough to lead the 25-rider field, it was also good enough to eclipse his own All-Time Lap Record of 1:37.216 he set this morning during FP2.
David Muñoz was the best of the rest with a 1:37.121 on his LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP KTM, and Joel Kelso claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:37.174 on his LevelUp – MTA KTM.
Row-two qualifiers included Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe (1:37.181), Honda Team Asia’s Taiyo Furusato (1:37.240) and CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar’s Maximo Quiles (1:37.363).
Fernandez on pole, Piqueras P11 as Rueda faces title chance from ninth. A late rush of red sectors sets up an interesting grid at Mandalika for what could be the Moto3™ title decider on Sunday.
Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) made a late dash for pole at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, with the fight for the front rows going down to the final seconds in classic Moto3 style. David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) complete the front row, with title fight protagonists Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and points leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) both looking for more on Sunday.
Piqueras, who led the way on Friday, will try and make a final stand in Lombok from P11, whereas Rueda takes aim at the crown from P9. Rueda is currently 93 points ahead and needs to be 100 or more clear by the end of the race to lift the crown.
Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) take fourth and fifth, the final two riders demoting provisional polesitter Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) in the final dash for the top. Quiles starts sixth.
David Almansa (Leopard Racing) and Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) head Row 3 ahead of Rueda, with Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) slotting into tenth between the points leader and Piqueras.
Marco Bezzecchi earned pole position during MotoGP World Championship qualifying on Saturday at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25, the Italian broke Jorge Martin’s 2024 All-Time Lap Record of 1:29.088 with a time of 1:28.832 around the 2.7-mile (4.30 km) circuit during Qualifying Two (Q2) on Saturday.
Fermin Aldeguer was the best of the rest with a 1:29.230 on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24, and Raul Fernandez claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:29.284 on his Trackhouse Team Aprilia RS-GP25.
Row-two qualifiers included Monster Energy Yamaha’s Alex Rins (1:29.336), Red Bull KTM Factory’s Pedro Acosta (1:29.343) and Honda HRC Castrol’s Luca Marini (1:29.513).
Teammates, Marc Marquez was 9th with a time of 1:29.773 and Francesco Bagnaia got 16th with a lap time of 1:29.996 on their Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Bezzecchi blasts to pole with jumbled up grid in Indonesia. A 1:28.832 is a new lap record by the in-form Aprilia rider, whilst newly-crowned World Champion Marc Marquez goes from the third row.
One of the most shaken-up grids of the year is headed by polesitter Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) as the #72’s form of recent rounds continues with domination at Mandalika. He heads up an exciting front row, including rookie Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), whilst Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) suffered his worst qualifying of 2025 in P9.
Q1: headlines acts with a first hurdle
With both Marquez and teammate Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) contesting Q1, it was always going to be a battle for graduation. Marquez led Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in the provisional graduation spots after the first run, with Pecco P7, the Japanese GP winner with work to do. Lapping together, ‘Diggia’ and teammate Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) managed to improve their times with the #21 briefly into Q2 before Di Giannantonio snatched P1, demoting the #93 to P2 but at the chequered flag, he was safe. Di Giannantonio and Marquez moved into Q2, Morbidelli missing out by 0.048s. Bagnaia was only sixth, leaving him 16th on the grid.
Pole battle: Bezzecchi unstoppable, Marc Marquez struggling
With Q2 underway, all eyes turned to the pole battle and the pre-session favourite Marco Bezzecchi, who was fastest on Friday and in FP2 on Saturday. He delivered the goods and by the end of the first run was the rider to beat, but there was still time for it all to change. Further down the order, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) suffered a fast crash at Turn 15 but was straight back on his feet and onto his second bike.
Going into the final run, Marc Marquez needed a lap and was down in P10 with less than three minutes remaining. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Fernandez were on the provisional front row, but Bezzecchi was in a different league up ahead, smashing the all-time lap record and becoming the first rider into the 1’28s at Mandalika. Just behind, Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) had put in a cracking lap to go third, whilst elsewhere, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) fell at Turn 13.
A new order: ‘Simply the Bez’ at Mandalika
Nobody could catch Bezzecchi, who stormed to pole position, a second in three GPs and with a margin of 0.398s. In second place, a first front row in MotoGP for Aldeguer, following Bezzecchi home just like on Friday afternoon. Fernandez recovered his front row starting position from Rins, a first front row for him since he was third at the Sachsenring in 2024. Rins crashed on his final flying lap but with a best qualifying since COTA in 2023, he may have a say at the front. Acosta and Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) round out the second row of the grid with all five manufacturers across the front two rows.
World champions struggle: Marc Marquez, Quartararo and Mir downfield
Despite a late fall that cost him a second row grid slot, Alex Marquez took the chequered flag for P7, ahead of Quartararo and Marc Marquez. It was the #93’s worst qualifying of the season and he’ll have to battle through the likes of ‘El Diablo’ and his brother before thinking about a podium. A first top ten since Aragon last year for Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) with three Yamahas inside the top ten, ahead of Di Giannantonio and Motegi podium finisher Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol).
Marco Bezzecchi led MotoGP World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25 on spec Michelin tires, the Italian turned a lap time of 1:29.862 to lead the 20-rider field.
Fabio Quartararo was the best of the rest with a 1:29.938 on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1.
Pedro Acosta, piloting his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16, was third at 1:30.033.
Fermin Aldeguer finished the session fourth with a 1:30.128 on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24, making it four manufacturers in the top four.
Miguel Oliveira, on his Prima Pramac Yamaha YZR-M1, got fifth with a lap time of 1:30.361.
Manuel Gonzalez was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Riding his Pirelli-shod LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on the 2.67-mile (4.30 km) track, the Championship leader recorded a 1:32.597 to lead the field of 28 riders and broke his own 2025 All-Time Lap Record of 1:32.996 he set yesterday afternoon during the practice session.
Diogo Moreira was the best of the rest with a 1:32.905 on his Italtrans Racing Team Kalex.
Daniel Holgado was third-fastest with a 1:32.959 on his CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished Saturday morning’s practice session 10th with a best time of 1:33.217 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Adrian Fernandez led Moto3 World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning, at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Fernandez used his Pirelli-shod Leopard Racing Honda to lap the 2.67-mile (4.30 km) track in 1:37.216, which led the field of 26 riders and broke Ivan Ortola’s All-Time Lap Record of 1:37.332 from 2024.
David Muñoz, piloting his LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt IntactGP KTM was second-best with a time of 1:37.219.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:37.357.
Mike Jones came out swinging in practice for round seven of the 2025 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) at One Raceway in Goulburn.
The Queenslander set a new best lap around the 2.32km circuit on his Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1M as he sets out to deny arch-rival Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati) the chance to clinch the SW-Motech Superbike title with a round to spare.
The gap between the pair is currently 69pts with four races remaining at One Raceway and The Bend – and Jones has made all the right moves to start bridging the gap with his enterprising Friday form, topping the timesheets ahead of fellow Yamaha rider Anthony West (Addicted to Track) and Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati) in extremely windy conditions.
The Kawasaki Supersport, Race and Road Supersport 300 and BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup classes also completed three practice sessions today, while the Yamaha BLU CRU Asia Pacific riders also began their campaign with five Aussies among the 19-rider roster.
Qualifying will be held on Saturday for all classes, along with the opening races in the Oceania Junior Cup, Supersport 300 and Asia-Pacific classes.
The entertainment at One Raceway across the weekend will also include the popular ASBK pillion rides, as well as a massive pitlane walk during the lunch break on Sunday.
Despite cameos from a few riders at the top of the practice standings, the speed and guile of Jones and West ultimately saw them return to the pointy end of the timesheets across the three sessions.
Jones stopped the clock at 58.696 for his new best lap, eclipsing his own 58.838 from 12 months ago as he continues an affinity with a circuit where he has finished on the podium in seven of the last 14 Superbike races.
Meanwhile, West uncorked a 58.810, while Pearson (59.131) found a late burst of speed to pip the impressive Jack Favelle (Addicted to Track Yamaha, 59.198).
Cameron Dunker (MotoGo Yamaha, 59.363), Waters (59.624), Troy Herfoss (Yamaha Racing Team, 59.658) and Cru Halliday (Stop and Seal Ducati, 59.795) completed the top eight.
Meanwhile, the hard luck story of the day was Jonathan Nahous, who crashed near the end of FP2 and severely damaged the Honda he was competing on for the first time.
Nahlous still ended the day ninth fastest ahead of Glenn Allerton (Superbike Advocates Racing Ducati), who’s a former race winner at One Raceway alongside Herfoss, Pearson and Jones.
Final practice is at 10:30am on Saturday before qualifying begins at 2:35pm.
West was the SW-Motech Superbike pacesetter until Jones pipped him in the final few minutes. Photo credit RbMotoLens
KAWASAKI SUPERSPORT
Archie McDonald (Stop and Seal) only required two of the three practice sessions to set the fastest Friday time – and certainly not a huge surprise as he currently holds the lap record around One Raceway.
McDonald’s best lap was 1:01.383 as he finished ahead of fellow Yamaha rider Jake Farnsworth (1:01.462), Hayden Nelson (BCperformance Kawasaki, 1:01.520), Jack Mahaffy (Stop and Seal Yamaha, 1:01.660), Olly Simpson (BCperformance Kawasaki, 1:01.724) and Tommy Edwards (Team BWR Yamaha, 1:02.058).
Mahaffy leads the championship by 21pts from Simpson, with McDonald a further 4ps back in third.
In the Supersport Nex Gen sub-class, Tom Toparis (Stop and Seal Ducati, 1:01.533) was fastest, and fourth overall on track amongst all the riders.
Next up for the 19 riders is the start of qualifying at 9:25am on Saturday.
McDonald sat out the final Kawasaki Supersport session but still ended up on top. Photo credit RbMotoLens
RACE AND ROAD SUPERSPORT 300
Scott Nicholson (Kawasaki) has made all the right early moves in his bid to wrap up the Race and Road Supersport 300 championship early at One Raceway, easily setting the benchmark in practice while main rival Tara Morrison (Kawasaki) was well back in 17th.
Still early days, of course, especially in a class where the balance of power can shift in the blink of an eye once the racing begins.
Nicholson stopped the clocks at 1:06.773, just shy of the current lap record of 1:06.536 set in 2024 – and in brutal conditions which weren’t conducive to all-out attack.
Jai Russo (Yamaha), Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha), Riley Nauta (Kawasaki), Mitch Simpson (Yamaha) and Tyler King (Kawasaki) filled positions 2-6 in the 31-rider field.
Nicholson currently leads the championship by 67pts (292 to 225) over Morrison.
Nicholson put his opposition on notice in Race and Road Supersport 300. Photo credit RbMotoLens
BLU CRU OCEANIA JUNIOR CUP
A searching day at the office for the pint-sized fleet of Yamaha YZF-R15s in the blustery conditions, and it was Hunter Charlett who made the best of it with a 1:16.804.
Charlett, currently fourth in the OJC standings, finished the day ahead of Rossi McAdam, Thomas Cameron, championship leader Connor Lewis and Orlando Peovitis.
Qualifying for the stars of tomorrow begins at 9am on Saturday, where lap times ae expected to tumble in calmer conditions.
Hunter Charlett topped the OJC timesheets in practice. Photo credit RbMotoLens
For more information on the 2025 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul:
Leon Haslam stormed to the top of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship Pre Qualifying times at Oulton Park this afternoon, setting the pace in the wet conditions to put the Moto Rapido Ducati Racing team ahead by 0.080s from Christian Iddon.
Iddon had been leading the way until the final five minutes, but Haslam was upping the pace, setting the best lap of the session on the final lap, in a session where the top eleven riders were covered by 0.768s.
Charlie Nesbitt was third fastest for MasterMac Honda, edging out Josh Brookes and Bradley Ray, who completed the top five as he bids to close down rival Kyle Ryde this weekend in Cheshire on the Raceways Yamaha.
Fraser Rogers was sixth fastest for TAG Honda pushing ahead of Storm Stacey who had topped the two Free Practice sessions on the Bathams AJN Racing BMW, with championship leader Kyle Ryde completing the top eight for Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha.
Max Cook was ninth ahead of Tommy Bridewell and Luke Hedger, who ended the session with a crash at Knickerbrook. Davey Todd qualified directly for Bandero Café Shoot Out Qualifying 2 for the first time for LEW 8TEN Racing BMW Motorrad, with Dean Harrison and Scott Redding just missing out and will have to line up in the opening Qualifying session tomorrow.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, Pre Qualifying result:
Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) +1m:45.245
Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +0.080s
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +0.126s
Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) +0.264s
Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) +0.315s
Fraser Rogers (TAG Honda) +0.475s
Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing BMW) +0.627s
Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) +0.651s
Max Cook (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +0.708s
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +0.731s
Luke Hedger (Whitecliffe CDH Racing Honda) +0.768s
Davey Todd (LEW 8TEN Racing BMW Motorrad) +1.200s
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
More from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Very positive start for Aprilia Racing at Mandalika
Aprilia Racing made a very positive start on the first day of practice at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit. Marco Bezzecchi confirmed his impressive command of the RS-GP25, delivering a strong Friday: third fastest in FP1 and first in practice, where he was also the first rider to break the 1:30 barrier midway through the session.
Raúl Fernández’s performance for the Trackhouse MotoGP Team was also notable, finishing practice in fifth place, thereby joining Bezzecchi in securing direct access to Q2.
A result that is even more significant considering that, due to injuries, only two riders are on track at Mandalika riding the RS-GP25, and both finished in the top five on Friday.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Marco Bezzecchi: “It was a good day. We made some substantial improvements, especially from morning to afternoon. There are still a few matters to sort out, but overall, I’m quite satisfied. The guys did a great job, as always, and now we focus on continuing the work ahead of Saturday.”
Paolo Bonora – Team Manager: “An excellent start and a very positive Friday, getting off to the right foot already in FP1: Marco was immediately competitive on a track he likes and with a layout that suits Aprilia. We won’t stop here: there are still details to fine-tune, and with Marco’s very clear feedback, we expect to make further progress by Saturday. Confirming the strong connection between bike and rider, Raúl also secured an excellent fifth place.”
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More from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Team:
Gresini’s the only Ducati machines in Q2.
Fermin Aldeguer (54) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini Team.
FERMIN ALDEGUER #54
“Today’s conditions weren’t the best, but we were quick although maybe close to the limit. Bezzecchi was uncatchable, but we did well. The track is difficult to read, there’s a lot of grip, but we didn’t perform as high as we wanted. It is excellent that we made into Q2, it was important to improve our Friday results compared to recent races and we’re managing to do so.”
*Crashed at turn 8 in FP1
Alex Marquez (73) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini Team.
ALEX MARQUEZ #73
“Q1 would have been a challenging session. We salvaged our Friday by a small margin, but the lap in which I crash was top 4 worthy. It was a good Friday anyway, especially coming from a weekend like the one we had in Japan. We’ll have to work well with the qualifying tyre tomorrow and stay focused.”
*Crashed at turn 12 during Practice
Free Practice 1 – IndonesianGP
10th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’31.487s)
16th – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (1’31.810s)
Practice – IndonesianGP
2nd – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (1’29.648s) Q2
10th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’29.985s) Q2
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC Castrol :
Marini leads another strong Friday for Honda HRC Castrol.
In what has quickly established itself as the new norm for the factory Honda HRC team, Luca Marini and Joan Mir sailed into the top ten placing fourth and sixth respectively.
As is often the case, conditions in Lombok, Indonesia were brutal as the ambient temperatures pushed into the 30s and the humidity hit 67%. With the wind in their sails still from the Japanese GP podium, Honda HRC Castrol were not deterred and made every lap count around the 4.3 kilometre long Indonesian Circuit. Continuing to build on their work throughout the entirety of the year, the duo once again made sure the RC213V was well represented at the front.
Leading the way in the morning, Luca Marini made his intentions abundantly clear – the Italian on top of the pile by 0.136s. Going a further 1.1 seconds faster in the afternoon, Marini would end the day in fourth overall. His 1’29.730 is already six tenths faster than his Q1 time from the Indonesian GP last year. The form is similar to what Marini had in Motegi and he is looking to learn from that experience and really capitalise on Qualifying. Flowing around a circuit he has always enjoyed, the #10 will be one to keep an eye on tomorrow.
Joan Mir was not to be outdone by his teammate and ended the day in sixth, 0.038s off the time set by Marini. Although not as strong a circuit historically as Motegi for the double World Champion, Mir was able to consistently be competitive here in Mandalika on Friday. This is now the third race in a row both riders have entered Q2 directly from Friday, continuing this performance at every race is now a clear and realistic first goal of the weekend.
Both Marini and Mir have shown some of their best form yet today and the pair have the front row as a clear target. With nine riders in the top ten split by half a second, Saturday’s action will be a close fought affair where even a small gain could pay significant dividends.
Luca Marini (10) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Honda HRC Castrol.
Luca Marini – FOURTH 1:29.730 :
“Our feeling and performance is improving with each GP and we are following a clear trajectory. Each time we exit the garage we understand more and push the limit of the bike a little bit further. I know it’s only Friday and we still have a lot of work to do, but we are very satisfied with what we have done today. Tomorrow it will be crucial to find the lap time in Q2 and arrive on the front row of the grid is the target. Tonight we will work to find some more speed with the soft rear because already on race pace I feel comfortable. If we can make this step then I think we can have a really good rest of the weekend.”
Joan Mir (36) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Honda HRC Castrol.
Joan Mir – SIXTH 1:29.768 :
“You really had to be focused today, it was so easy to have a crash today and we had to do some work to get the feeling we had. It was a solid day and I was able to be consistently fast, even if it’s not one of my favourite circuits. Some things to check and improve tonight, but being strong at this circuit shows what our level is like. It’s a day of confidence today, it’s another boost for the rest of the season. A good confirmation of last weekend with some more to come.”
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha :
Quartararo & Rins Secure Direct Q2 Places on Indonesia GP Friday.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team began action at the Mandalika International Circuit today. Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins worked diligently throughout the two sessions to wrap up the Friday in 7th and 8th place respectively in the Practice timesheets, securing places in tomorrow’s Q2.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins finished a sweltering first day at the Mandalika International Circuit in strong fashion, securing a double top 10 on the Friday for the fourth time this season. They ended the Grand Prix of Indonesia Practice in 7th and 8th place respectively, booking direct tickets for Q2.
Quartararo had finished FP1 in seventh place, giving him a confidence boost ahead of the afternoon shoot-out. The Frenchman concentrated on his bike’s set-up in the Practice session before putting in his first bid for a direct place in Q2 with 15 minutes left on the clock. After his first attempts, Fabio held 14th place. His second run was initially disrupted by yellow flags, but he clocked a 1’29.837s on lap 27/27, 0.597s from first, that earned him seventh place in the timesheets.
Rins had a strong start to the Indonesian GP weekend and wrapped up FP1 in an encouraging fourth place. The Spaniard was determined to keep the positive momentum going in the afternoon. He held fifth place in the Practice session until the time attacks started with 16 minutes remaining. It became a fierce battle, but the number 42 kept pushing. With no yellow flags on his final attempt, he set a 1’29.868s best time on lap 28/28. It had him finish the day in eighth place, 0.628s off today’s fastest time.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action tomorrow for the Saturday MotoGP sessions: FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40 GMT+8, followed by the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, and the 13-lap Sprint that starts at 15:00.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
“We’ve had a promising start to the Indonesian Grand Prix. As in previous years, the extreme heat presents a significant challenge for the riders. Historically, these conditions haven’t favoured our bike, and also the medium tyre is not helping our performance, but the high grip levels at this circuit allowed our riders to push with confidence during the time attack on the softs. It’s encouraging to see both Fabio and Álex secure direct entry into Q2 for the fourth time this season. While a strong Friday isn’t half the battle, it certainly is about 35%, as it sets the tone and simplifies the Saturday. That said, we remain focused and committed. The competition here is intense, and we anticipate a close qualifying session followed by a physically demanding Sprint.”
Fabio Quartararo (20) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
Fabio Quartararo: “It was not an easy day for us, but I was able to get one hot lap in at the end. Being inside the top 10 today is very important for the rest of the weekend, but we still need to work on the pace. The grip is good, but the rear tyre with this carcass is unpredictable, and this is making riding more tense.”
Alex Rins (42) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
Alex Rins: “Today was a really good day. I kept the momentum from Japan going. We just kept working, kept doing our best, and today we were really performing well. This doesn’t mean that we don’t have any problems – for sure, there are things we can work on. We are spending a lot of time getting heat into the tyre when we’re on the medium rear. But as soon as we fitted the soft, it went well for us very quickly, so I am happy about today.”
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More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3 :
The action of the Grand Prix of Indonesia is well and truly on at dreamy Lombok Island, with Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales having kicked off their campaign at the Mandalika Circuit, welcoming MotoGP™ for the fourth consecutive year. It wasn’t an easy start for our riders, with both failing to make the cut to Q2 at the end of Friday’s Practice. Bastianini closed the day with the 15th time, while Viñales ended the day in P19, as he continued to fight through the pain from his left shoulder.
Extreme track conditions were an extra factor to consider on Friday, with the humid and hot climate of Lombok island adding more difficulties to the physical exercise of riding the MotoGP™ machine. As he arrived from Motegi with some improvements made during the race, Enea Bastianini was eager to see if he could bring those to Indonesia, so the opening FP1 was dedicated to making some set-up tests. Times were quite close between all riders, and Enea took the 19th time, despite being just 1.3 seconds away from Luca Marini, fastest this morning. Later in the afternoon, Bastianini was back for Practice, but he continued to struggle somehow to find the right feeling with his RC16 on the Indonesian layout. Before the final time attacks, Enea sat in P19 when he picked Johann Zarco’s wheel for the final run. The Italian eventually improved to a 1’30.385 before a few yellow flags were waved with late crashes, but unfortunately, Enea was next to go down at T3, in the final seconds of Practice. P15 for the number 23, as he faces Q1 on Saturday morning.
The opening day in Lombok wasn’t quite easy either for Maverick Viñales, who continued to fight through the pain from his left shoulder. After Japan, the target for our Top Gun was to try getting back to the bike set up he had before his crash in Germany, so the team has worked towards that goal since settling down in Bali’s little sister. In Free Practice 1, the feeling wasn’t too bad for Maverick, as he rounded up the session with the 15th time, just behind teammate Brad Binder, less than one second from Marini. The afternoon’s Practice was tougher for the number 12, who continued to be limited by his shoulder, not recovering as fast as he would like, although it has already been an impressive recovery process so far. A 1’30.529 was the best he could lap this afternoon, as he finished 1.289 seconds from the top of the timesheets. He will face Q1 alongside teammate Bastianini on Saturday morning. The action will resume at 10:10 LT (UTC+8), followed directly by the qualifying sessions. Next, we will have the Tissot Sprint at 15:00, with 13 laps!
Enea Bastianini (23) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3.
Enea Bastianini: “At the start of both sessions today, the first 3-4 laps felt really dangerous because the rear grip was too low, but then the track improved and we could feel a bit better. We have crashed a lot lately, on Fridays, on Saturdays… which is not normal, and it also tells us that we are in a critical situation. I really hope that we can find some improvements, for my future, because we are going through a tough period again, and at the moment, we can’t solve our issues. Let’s check everything with the team tonight, because we need to arrive on Saturday in better shape.”
Maverick Viñales (12) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3.
Maverick Viñales: “Tough day for us, physically. We have a lot to analyze together with the team, and we need to make an important decision. Whether to stop and come back fully fit, or to keep going like this, but riding in my current condition is very hard for me, because I feel a lot of pain, and I can’t give the right feedback. We need to be smart, and evaluate which will be the best way to recover the fastest. This track is quite challenging, and I lose a lot of time in the changes of direction, so we are not at our best. I want to be on the bike, but let’s see our possibilities.”
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More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Team:
Oliveira Breaks Into Q2 in Indonesia GP, Miller Stuck in Q1 After Tricky Friday.
The opening day of action at the Indonesian GP, the 18th round of the MotoGP World Championship, saw Miguel Oliveira secure direct access to Q2, with the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP rider setting the 9th fastest time in Practice. A tougher session instead for Jack Miller, who after finishing 16th will have to start tomorrow‘s qualifying from Q1, ahead of the Sprint Race scheduled at 15:00 local time (09:00 CET).
Miguel Oliveira had been chasing a direct Q2 entry for a long time this season, one marked by the injury he suffered at the start of the championship in Argentina that kept him out of several races and disrupted his adaptation to the YZR-M1. Today, on the Mandalika circuit, that moment finally came for the Portuguese rider of Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP, who closed Practice in ninth position. A result that confirms Oliveira‘s steady progress in the second half of the season.
Jack Miller‘s day, on the other hand, was more of a step backwards. After setting the sixth fastest time in FP1 in the morning, he struggled in the afternoon to find the right feeling (and timing, slowed down also by yellow flags) to put together a lap fast enough to break into the session‘s top 10. With the 16th time at the end of Practice, Miller will now have to fight through Q1 tomorrow in search of one of the two available spots to advance into Q2.
Indonesian GP schedule:
Saturday: 10:.10 (4:10 CET) Free Practice 2; 10:50 (3:50 CET) Qualifying; 15:00 (9:00 CET) Sprint Race (13 laps – 55,91 km)
Sunday: 10:40 (4:40 CET) Warm-up; 15:00 (8:00 CET) Race (24 laps – 116,13 km)
GINO BORSOI – Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
“An interesting weekend for Miguel, who struggled this morning but then managed to find a very good balance both on race pace and on the time attack, earning direct access to Q2 with a lap time very close to Rins and Quartararo. Miller‘s day, on the other hand, was unusual: he did very well in the morning, but in qualifying he wasn‘t able to produce that extra spark he usually finds. There‘s some work to do. Tomorrow it won‘t be easy to get into Q2, as many strong riders are also left out, but we‘ll give it a try.”
Miguel Oliveira (88) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha.
Miguel Oliveira: “A good Friday — finally straight into Q2. I‘ll sleep a little more relaxed tonight. From the start of Practice the feeling was good; I felt comfortable both with the medium and the soft front. I managed two solid time attacks, riding alone and consistently, and for once no yellow flags, so I‘m happy. This morning it was really difficult to get the rear tyre working, and in my first laps I almost crashed three or four times within the first five. Now the goal is a strong qualifying and then to fight for some points in the Sprint.”
Jack Miller (43) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha.
Jack Miller: “I‘m happy with today‘s performance, even if it doesn‘t fully show on paper. Between yellow flags and a few other issues, the bike felt good here, and the pace was strong. Riding alone I was able to put in some good laps, which is encouraging. There‘s still one area, Turn 6, where we need to work a lot — I‘m losing quite a bit there because I can‘t hold partial throttle the way I‘d like. Apart from that, everything is positive. I feel confident we can dip into the 1‘29s tomorrow. It‘s going to be an exciting Q1, and we‘ll need to bring our best.”
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More from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Day one at Mandalika Circuit for the Ducati Lenovo Team: Marc Márquez is eleventh, Francesco Bagnaia seventeenth.
The Ducati Lenovo Team has tackled the opening day of practice for the Grand Prix of Indonesia at the Mandalika Circuit. Marc Márquez finished Practice in eleventh place, while Francesco Bagnaia wrapped up the afternoon session in seventeenth. Both riders will therefore partake in Q1.
Fifth quickest in the morning, Márquez crashed unhurt twice in the first half of Practice. He then made his way back to third with 14 minutes left but was bumped out of the top ten in the final seconds. Bagnaia, on the other hand, was unable to improve in what turned into a chaotic final part of the session, with yellow flag situations limiting his time-attack opportunities.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will resume proceedings tomorrow morning at 10:10 local time (GMT +8), followed by Q1 at 10:50 and Q2 at 11:15. The eighteenth Sprint of the season will take place from 15:00 over a 13-lap distance.
Marc Marquez (93) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Ducati Lenovo Team.
Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 11th “The day started off in a positive way and I was riding well, but in the afternoon the feeling was really strange. I crashed twice: the first time I lost the rear, and the second one was a highside without warning. When we changed the tyre, the situation got back to normal, but I chose not to take too many risks. It will be my first Q1 of the season tomorrow, which is not ideal, but this is racing. We surely need to improve the feeling for tomorrow, also because this circuit doesn’t suit my riding style perfectly.”
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Ducati Lenovo Team.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 17th “For some reason, we’re not able to perform well at the rear-end. It’s strange because last year we were competitive from the get-go, while now it takes several laps to make everything work. Riding-wise, I can’t be as effective under braking on corner entry as in Japan, but we’ll try to fix this. I’m sure the track conditions will improve as the weekend progresses, but for now the situation is quite challenging.”
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More from a press release issued by CASTROL Honda LCR:
Zarco wraps up Friday at Mandalika
CASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco concluded Friday’s sessions at the Mandalika Circuit in 14th position.
The Frenchman delivered a solid morning performance in Indonesia, identifying both encouraging positives and key areas for improvement with the new package.
Despite suffering a crash during Practice, Zarco battled fiercely and maintained positions within Q2 contention. Unfortunately, a second crash late in the session prevented him from securing a spot in Q2.
The team is focused on adjusting the setup to help Johann feel more comfortable and confident on the bike, as there are still some areas where he doesn’t feel at ease to fully push. On the bright side, he has shown strong potential in sector two, where speed and performance have improved noticeably.
There is a promising opportunity to advance from Q1 to Q2, with the team fully committed to further progress ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying and Sprint race.
Johann Zarco (5) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy CASTROL Honda LCR
Johann Zarco 14th – (1’30.230): “The second crash happened very fast, but I’m fine, I just slid out. Today I’ve been struggling a bit with the front end of the bike, and we’re working hard to fix that. I wanted to stay competitive and push hard, but sometimes crashes happen. It’s a pity to miss out on Q2, but we’ll give everything tomorrow to get through Q1. We’re trying different setups to regain that good feeling. The new bike’s grip is better, and the engine performance has improved too; we just need to find the right balance.”
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More from a press release issued by IDEMITSU Honda LCR:
Somkiat Chantra completes Friday sessions in Mandalika
IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Somkiat Chantra finished 20th on Friday at the Mandalika Circuit in Indonesia.
Thai rider Somkiat Chantra got off to a positive start at the Mandalika Circuit, a track he knows well and where he’s had strong results in the past.
Riding a MotoGP bike here for the first time brought a mix of good signs and a few challenges as he adjusted to the new demands.
In the afternoon, Chantra started Practice with good pace, but a crash midway through the session disrupted his rhythm. Fortunately, he didn’t suffer any physical consequences, though the incident prevented him from pushing further, and he ended the day in 20th place.
Somkiat Chantra (35) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Idemitsu Honda LCR
Somkiat Chantra 20th – (1’31.434) : “It’s been a tough day for me. I struggled to find the right feeling with different tyres, and in the afternoon, while trying to push for a fast lap time, I crashed after losing the front. Luckily, I’m fine. We will try different things tomorrow to take a step forward and improve, as I really like this circuit and I believe we can do a good job.”
MotoGP Race Start at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Dorna.
(Editorial Note: Luca Marini received an eight-second penalty for a tire pressure violation, dropping him down to 13th place in the Indonesian GP Sprint race.)
Marco Bezzecchi won the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25 on Michelin control tires, the Italian won the 13-lap race by 0.157 second.
Rookie, Fermin Aldeguer was the runner-up on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24.
Raul Fernandez finished third on his Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP25.
Aldeguer’s teammate, Alex Marquez was fourth.
Joan Mir got fifth on his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V.
Marc Marquez finished the sprint race 7th and Francesco Bagnaia 14th on their Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Marc Marquez leads the championship with 544 points, 198 ahead of Alex Marquez who has 346 points. Francesco Bagnaia is third with 274 points.
Bezzecchi beats Aldeguer on final lap in a Mandalika Sprint stunner. The Italian comes back from a poor start to overtake the rookie in the closing stages as Fernandez earns debut MotoGP podium.
Marco Bezzecchi vs Fermin Aldeguer. Aprilia Racing’s Italian vs BK8 Gresini Racing’s rookie, and boy was it a Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia Tissot Sprint treat that we’ll remember for a long time. It was Bezzecchi who completed an incredible comeback after a poor start to overtake the Ducati rider on the final lap for the gold medal, as Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) took P3 from the front row to earn his first rostrum in MotoGP.
Poor start from Bez, Marc Marquez handed Long Lap penalty
From the off, Bezzecchi didn’t get a good launch from pole as Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) briefly led from P6, but the Italian was wide to allow Aldeguer and Fernandez through, as well as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
Turn 10 on the opening lap saw Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) make contact, which saw both run wide, with the Yamaha star coming out the worse of the two. It was an incident that saw the World Champion handed a Long Lap penalty, which he took on Lap 3, and that dropped him to P13.
Aldeguer leads, Acosta crashes from P2
At the front, Aldeguer was leading by half a second from Acosta, with Fernandez still third ahead of Marini and Bezzecchi. As we watched Bezzecchi attempt a pass at Turn 1 on Marini, we then cut to Acosta in the gravel at the same corner. The KTM star was down and out of P2 which handed Aldeguer a 1.8s lead, with Bezzecchi now chasing Fernandez for P2.
Aldeguer vs Bezzecchi unfolds
As soon as he got a bit of clean air, Bezzecchi set the fastest lap of the Sprint. With eight laps left, the Italian was just over two seconds away from the leader. Aldeguer’s best friend in this Sprint was second place Fernandez and on Lap 8 of 13, Bezzecchi was swarming all over the rear tyre of the Trackhouse rider.
A pass for P2 came at Turn 10 on Lap 8 and at this stage, the gap between Aldeguer and Bezzecchi sat at 1.9s. A lap later it was 1.2s because Bezzecchi slammed in a 1:29.638 – a new fastest lap of the Sprint, and that compared to Aldeguer’s 1:30.379. This was some sensational pace from the polesitter and after a very sluggish start that saw him drop to P8, the #72 was well in the victory hunt.
With two laps to go, the gap was down to 0.5s as Bezzecchi took another four tenths off of Aldeguer’s lead and at the start of the last lap, it was 0.3s. Then, it was nothing.
Turn 10 was the place again for Bezzecchi and he got the job done despite being slightly wide. He picked up Aldeguer but the rookie wasn’t giving this up without a fight. It was close through Turn 12, but Bezzecchi had the advantage and he managed to hold it to the line. A stunning comeback from Bezzecchi to catch and pass Aldeguer on the last lap as the pair treat us to a brilliant Saturday Sprint in Mandalika, as Fernandez held onto his first Sprint podium in P3.
Your Saturday points scorers
Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) crossed the line in a fairly lonely P4 to strengthen his grip on P2 in the overall championship, with Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) completing the top five. Marini dropped to P6 in the end, with Marc Marquez cutting his way back through the field after his Long Lap to finish in P7. The final two points of the Sprint went to Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team duo Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio, as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), last weekend’s Sprint and Grand Prix winner, finished 29s off the win in P14 to see Bezzecchi close in on P3 overall.
Ducati Lenovo Team’s disappointing Saturday didn’t stop them from clinching the Teams’ Championship though. Congratulations to all in red for another fantastic season, but they’ll be searching for a better day at the office tomorrow.
Coming up: Grand Prix Sunday
Well, Saturday has set us up very nicely indeed for Sunday in Indonesia. Can Bezzecchi complete the perfect weekend? Or can Aldeguer and co take it to the Italian and Aprilia? We’re keen to find out.
Diogo Moreira (10) claimed pole position at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Italtrans Racing.
Diogo Moreira was the man to beat during Moto2 World qualifying Saturday at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. The Brazilian rider topped qualifying session with a new lap record time. Riding his Italtrans Racing Team Kalex, Moreira navigated the 2.67-mile (4.30 km) course in 1:32.341, breaking Manuel Gonzalez’s 2025 All-Time Lap Record of 1:32.597 he set this morning in FP2.
David Alonso was second-best with a 1:32.499 on his CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team Kalex.
Izan Guevara claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:32.516 on his BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.
American Joe Roberts finished Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session 20th with a best time of 1:33.181 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Moreira smashes lap record for Mandalika pole. The Brazilian leaves it late to topple Alonso as South Amreica start 1-2 and Gonzalez heads Row 2.
Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) will start from pole for the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, with the Brazilian slamming in a new lap record right at the end of qualifying to deny David Alonso (CFMoto Power Electronics Aspar Team) the top spot. Alonso starts second ahead of Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2), up from Q1, with Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) pushed down to P4.
Alonso was holding provisional pole until the very last flying lap from Moreira, with the Brazilian able to find enough to take over on top, break the previous lap record, and leapfrog title rival and points leader Gonzalez.
The #18 is joined on Row 2 by Daniel Holgado (CFMoto Power Electronics Aspar Team) fresh from the top step in Japan, and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing).
Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing) and Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) complete the top ten – with Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) one notable absence there as he once again failed to make it up from Q1.
Adrian Fernandez claimed pole position at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Adrian Fernandez earned pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Riding his Leopard Racing Honda on Pirelli control tires, Fernandez turned a lap time of 1:37.022. Not only was that good enough to lead the 25-rider field, it was also good enough to eclipse his own All-Time Lap Record of 1:37.216 he set this morning during FP2.
David Muñoz was the best of the rest with a 1:37.121 on his LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP KTM, and Joel Kelso claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:37.174 on his LevelUp – MTA KTM.
Row-two qualifiers included Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe (1:37.181), Honda Team Asia’s Taiyo Furusato (1:37.240) and CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar’s Maximo Quiles (1:37.363).
Fernandez on pole, Piqueras P11 as Rueda faces title chance from ninth. A late rush of red sectors sets up an interesting grid at Mandalika for what could be the Moto3™ title decider on Sunday.
Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) made a late dash for pole at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, with the fight for the front rows going down to the final seconds in classic Moto3 style. David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) complete the front row, with title fight protagonists Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and points leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) both looking for more on Sunday.
Piqueras, who led the way on Friday, will try and make a final stand in Lombok from P11, whereas Rueda takes aim at the crown from P9. Rueda is currently 93 points ahead and needs to be 100 or more clear by the end of the race to lift the crown.
Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) take fourth and fifth, the final two riders demoting provisional polesitter Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) in the final dash for the top. Quiles starts sixth.
David Almansa (Leopard Racing) and Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) head Row 3 ahead of Rueda, with Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) slotting into tenth between the points leader and Piqueras.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) claimed pole position at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Marco Bezzecchi earned pole position during MotoGP World Championship qualifying on Saturday at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25, the Italian broke Jorge Martin’s 2024 All-Time Lap Record of 1:29.088 with a time of 1:28.832 around the 2.7-mile (4.30 km) circuit during Qualifying Two (Q2) on Saturday.
Fermin Aldeguer was the best of the rest with a 1:29.230 on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24, and Raul Fernandez claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:29.284 on his Trackhouse Team Aprilia RS-GP25.
Row-two qualifiers included Monster Energy Yamaha’s Alex Rins (1:29.336), Red Bull KTM Factory’s Pedro Acosta (1:29.343) and Honda HRC Castrol’s Luca Marini (1:29.513).
Teammates, Marc Marquez was 9th with a time of 1:29.773 and Francesco Bagnaia got 16th with a lap time of 1:29.996 on their Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Bezzecchi blasts to pole with jumbled up grid in Indonesia. A 1:28.832 is a new lap record by the in-form Aprilia rider, whilst newly-crowned World Champion Marc Marquez goes from the third row.
One of the most shaken-up grids of the year is headed by polesitter Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) as the #72’s form of recent rounds continues with domination at Mandalika. He heads up an exciting front row, including rookie Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), whilst Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) suffered his worst qualifying of 2025 in P9.
Q1: headlines acts with a first hurdle
With both Marquez and teammate Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) contesting Q1, it was always going to be a battle for graduation. Marquez led Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in the provisional graduation spots after the first run, with Pecco P7, the Japanese GP winner with work to do. Lapping together, ‘Diggia’ and teammate Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) managed to improve their times with the #21 briefly into Q2 before Di Giannantonio snatched P1, demoting the #93 to P2 but at the chequered flag, he was safe. Di Giannantonio and Marquez moved into Q2, Morbidelli missing out by 0.048s. Bagnaia was only sixth, leaving him 16th on the grid.
Pole battle: Bezzecchi unstoppable, Marc Marquez struggling
With Q2 underway, all eyes turned to the pole battle and the pre-session favourite Marco Bezzecchi, who was fastest on Friday and in FP2 on Saturday. He delivered the goods and by the end of the first run was the rider to beat, but there was still time for it all to change. Further down the order, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) suffered a fast crash at Turn 15 but was straight back on his feet and onto his second bike.
Going into the final run, Marc Marquez needed a lap and was down in P10 with less than three minutes remaining. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Fernandez were on the provisional front row, but Bezzecchi was in a different league up ahead, smashing the all-time lap record and becoming the first rider into the 1’28s at Mandalika. Just behind, Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) had put in a cracking lap to go third, whilst elsewhere, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) fell at Turn 13.
A new order: ‘Simply the Bez’ at Mandalika
Nobody could catch Bezzecchi, who stormed to pole position, a second in three GPs and with a margin of 0.398s. In second place, a first front row in MotoGP for Aldeguer, following Bezzecchi home just like on Friday afternoon. Fernandez recovered his front row starting position from Rins, a first front row for him since he was third at the Sachsenring in 2024. Rins crashed on his final flying lap but with a best qualifying since COTA in 2023, he may have a say at the front. Acosta and Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) round out the second row of the grid with all five manufacturers across the front two rows.
World champions struggle: Marc Marquez, Quartararo and Mir downfield
Despite a late fall that cost him a second row grid slot, Alex Marquez took the chequered flag for P7, ahead of Quartararo and Marc Marquez. It was the #93’s worst qualifying of the season and he’ll have to battle through the likes of ‘El Diablo’ and his brother before thinking about a podium. A first top ten since Aragon last year for Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) with three Yamahas inside the top ten, ahead of Di Giannantonio and Motegi podium finisher Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol).
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing.
Marco Bezzecchi led MotoGP World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25 on spec Michelin tires, the Italian turned a lap time of 1:29.862 to lead the 20-rider field.
Fabio Quartararo was the best of the rest with a 1:29.938 on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1.
Pedro Acosta, piloting his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16, was third at 1:30.033.
Fermin Aldeguer finished the session fourth with a 1:30.128 on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24, making it four manufacturers in the top four.
Miguel Oliveira, on his Prima Pramac Yamaha YZR-M1, got fifth with a lap time of 1:30.361.
Manuel Gonzalez (18) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Manuel Gonzalez was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Riding his Pirelli-shod LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on the 2.67-mile (4.30 km) track, the Championship leader recorded a 1:32.597 to lead the field of 28 riders and broke his own 2025 All-Time Lap Record of 1:32.996 he set yesterday afternoon during the practice session.
Diogo Moreira was the best of the rest with a 1:32.905 on his Italtrans Racing Team Kalex.
Daniel Holgado was third-fastest with a 1:32.959 on his CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished Saturday morning’s practice session 10th with a best time of 1:33.217 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Adrian Fernandez (31) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Leopard Racing.
Adrian Fernandez led Moto3 World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning, at Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, in Indonesia. Fernandez used his Pirelli-shod Leopard Racing Honda to lap the 2.67-mile (4.30 km) track in 1:37.216, which led the field of 26 riders and broke Ivan Ortola’s All-Time Lap Record of 1:37.332 from 2024.
David Muñoz, piloting his LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt IntactGP KTM was second-best with a time of 1:37.219.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:37.357.
Jones topped two of the three SW-Motech Superbike practice sessions. Photo credit RbMotoLens
Mike Jones came out swinging in practice for round seven of the 2025 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) at One Raceway in Goulburn.
The Queenslander set a new best lap around the 2.32km circuit on his Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1M as he sets out to deny arch-rival Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati) the chance to clinch the SW-Motech Superbike title with a round to spare.
The gap between the pair is currently 69pts with four races remaining at One Raceway and The Bend – and Jones has made all the right moves to start bridging the gap with his enterprising Friday form, topping the timesheets ahead of fellow Yamaha rider Anthony West (Addicted to Track) and Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati) in extremely windy conditions.
The Kawasaki Supersport, Race and Road Supersport 300 and BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup classes also completed three practice sessions today, while the Yamaha BLU CRU Asia Pacific riders also began their campaign with five Aussies among the 19-rider roster.
Qualifying will be held on Saturday for all classes, along with the opening races in the Oceania Junior Cup, Supersport 300 and Asia-Pacific classes.
The entertainment at One Raceway across the weekend will also include the popular ASBK pillion rides, as well as a massive pitlane walk during the lunch break on Sunday.
Despite cameos from a few riders at the top of the practice standings, the speed and guile of Jones and West ultimately saw them return to the pointy end of the timesheets across the three sessions.
Jones stopped the clock at 58.696 for his new best lap, eclipsing his own 58.838 from 12 months ago as he continues an affinity with a circuit where he has finished on the podium in seven of the last 14 Superbike races.
Meanwhile, West uncorked a 58.810, while Pearson (59.131) found a late burst of speed to pip the impressive Jack Favelle (Addicted to Track Yamaha, 59.198).
Cameron Dunker (MotoGo Yamaha, 59.363), Waters (59.624), Troy Herfoss (Yamaha Racing Team, 59.658) and Cru Halliday (Stop and Seal Ducati, 59.795) completed the top eight.
Meanwhile, the hard luck story of the day was Jonathan Nahous, who crashed near the end of FP2 and severely damaged the Honda he was competing on for the first time.
Nahlous still ended the day ninth fastest ahead of Glenn Allerton (Superbike Advocates Racing Ducati), who’s a former race winner at One Raceway alongside Herfoss, Pearson and Jones.
Final practice is at 10:30am on Saturday before qualifying begins at 2:35pm.
West was the SW-Motech Superbike pacesetter until Jones pipped him in the final few minutes. Photo credit RbMotoLens
KAWASAKI SUPERSPORT
Archie McDonald (Stop and Seal) only required two of the three practice sessions to set the fastest Friday time – and certainly not a huge surprise as he currently holds the lap record around One Raceway.
McDonald’s best lap was 1:01.383 as he finished ahead of fellow Yamaha rider Jake Farnsworth (1:01.462), Hayden Nelson (BCperformance Kawasaki, 1:01.520), Jack Mahaffy (Stop and Seal Yamaha, 1:01.660), Olly Simpson (BCperformance Kawasaki, 1:01.724) and Tommy Edwards (Team BWR Yamaha, 1:02.058).
Mahaffy leads the championship by 21pts from Simpson, with McDonald a further 4ps back in third.
In the Supersport Nex Gen sub-class, Tom Toparis (Stop and Seal Ducati, 1:01.533) was fastest, and fourth overall on track amongst all the riders.
Next up for the 19 riders is the start of qualifying at 9:25am on Saturday.
McDonald sat out the final Kawasaki Supersport session but still ended up on top. Photo credit RbMotoLens
RACE AND ROAD SUPERSPORT 300
Scott Nicholson (Kawasaki) has made all the right early moves in his bid to wrap up the Race and Road Supersport 300 championship early at One Raceway, easily setting the benchmark in practice while main rival Tara Morrison (Kawasaki) was well back in 17th.
Still early days, of course, especially in a class where the balance of power can shift in the blink of an eye once the racing begins.
Nicholson stopped the clocks at 1:06.773, just shy of the current lap record of 1:06.536 set in 2024 – and in brutal conditions which weren’t conducive to all-out attack.
Jai Russo (Yamaha), Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha), Riley Nauta (Kawasaki), Mitch Simpson (Yamaha) and Tyler King (Kawasaki) filled positions 2-6 in the 31-rider field.
Nicholson currently leads the championship by 67pts (292 to 225) over Morrison.
Nicholson put his opposition on notice in Race and Road Supersport 300. Photo credit RbMotoLens
BLU CRU OCEANIA JUNIOR CUP
A searching day at the office for the pint-sized fleet of Yamaha YZF-R15s in the blustery conditions, and it was Hunter Charlett who made the best of it with a 1:16.804.
Charlett, currently fourth in the OJC standings, finished the day ahead of Rossi McAdam, Thomas Cameron, championship leader Connor Lewis and Orlando Peovitis.
Qualifying for the stars of tomorrow begins at 9am on Saturday, where lap times ae expected to tumble in calmer conditions.
Hunter Charlett topped the OJC timesheets in practice. Photo credit RbMotoLens
For more information on the 2025 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul:
Leon Haslam stormed to the top of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship Pre Qualifying times at Oulton Park this afternoon, setting the pace in the wet conditions to put the Moto Rapido Ducati Racing team ahead by 0.080s from Christian Iddon.
Iddon had been leading the way until the final five minutes, but Haslam was upping the pace, setting the best lap of the session on the final lap, in a session where the top eleven riders were covered by 0.768s.
Charlie Nesbitt was third fastest for MasterMac Honda, edging out Josh Brookes and Bradley Ray, who completed the top five as he bids to close down rival Kyle Ryde this weekend in Cheshire on the Raceways Yamaha.
Fraser Rogers was sixth fastest for TAG Honda pushing ahead of Storm Stacey who had topped the two Free Practice sessions on the Bathams AJN Racing BMW, with championship leader Kyle Ryde completing the top eight for Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha.
Max Cook was ninth ahead of Tommy Bridewell and Luke Hedger, who ended the session with a crash at Knickerbrook. Davey Todd qualified directly for Bandero Café Shoot Out Qualifying 2 for the first time for LEW 8TEN Racing BMW Motorrad, with Dean Harrison and Scott Redding just missing out and will have to line up in the opening Qualifying session tomorrow.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, Pre Qualifying result:
Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) +1m:45.245
Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +0.080s
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +0.126s
Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) +0.264s
Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) +0.315s
Fraser Rogers (TAG Honda) +0.475s
Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing BMW) +0.627s
Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) +0.651s
Max Cook (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +0.708s
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +0.731s
Luke Hedger (Whitecliffe CDH Racing Honda) +0.768s
Davey Todd (LEW 8TEN Racing BMW Motorrad) +1.200s
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Marco Bezzecchi (72) and Miguel Oliveira (88) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Dorna.
More from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Very positive start for Aprilia Racing at Mandalika
Aprilia Racing made a very positive start on the first day of practice at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit. Marco Bezzecchi confirmed his impressive command of the RS-GP25, delivering a strong Friday: third fastest in FP1 and first in practice, where he was also the first rider to break the 1:30 barrier midway through the session.
Raúl Fernández’s performance for the Trackhouse MotoGP Team was also notable, finishing practice in fifth place, thereby joining Bezzecchi in securing direct access to Q2.
A result that is even more significant considering that, due to injuries, only two riders are on track at Mandalika riding the RS-GP25, and both finished in the top five on Friday.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Marco Bezzecchi: “It was a good day. We made some substantial improvements, especially from morning to afternoon. There are still a few matters to sort out, but overall, I’m quite satisfied. The guys did a great job, as always, and now we focus on continuing the work ahead of Saturday.”
Paolo Bonora – Team Manager: “An excellent start and a very positive Friday, getting off to the right foot already in FP1: Marco was immediately competitive on a track he likes and with a layout that suits Aprilia. We won’t stop here: there are still details to fine-tune, and with Marco’s very clear feedback, we expect to make further progress by Saturday. Confirming the strong connection between bike and rider, Raúl also secured an excellent fifth place.”
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More from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Team:
Gresini’s the only Ducati machines in Q2.
Fermin Aldeguer (54) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini Team.
FERMIN ALDEGUER #54
“Today’s conditions weren’t the best, but we were quick although maybe close to the limit. Bezzecchi was uncatchable, but we did well. The track is difficult to read, there’s a lot of grip, but we didn’t perform as high as we wanted. It is excellent that we made into Q2, it was important to improve our Friday results compared to recent races and we’re managing to do so.”
*Crashed at turn 8 in FP1
Alex Marquez (73) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini Team.
ALEX MARQUEZ #73
“Q1 would have been a challenging session. We salvaged our Friday by a small margin, but the lap in which I crash was top 4 worthy. It was a good Friday anyway, especially coming from a weekend like the one we had in Japan. We’ll have to work well with the qualifying tyre tomorrow and stay focused.”
*Crashed at turn 12 during Practice
Free Practice 1 – IndonesianGP
10th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’31.487s)
16th – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (1’31.810s)
Practice – IndonesianGP
2nd – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (1’29.648s) Q2
10th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’29.985s) Q2
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC Castrol :
Marini leads another strong Friday for Honda HRC Castrol.
In what has quickly established itself as the new norm for the factory Honda HRC team, Luca Marini and Joan Mir sailed into the top ten placing fourth and sixth respectively.
As is often the case, conditions in Lombok, Indonesia were brutal as the ambient temperatures pushed into the 30s and the humidity hit 67%. With the wind in their sails still from the Japanese GP podium, Honda HRC Castrol were not deterred and made every lap count around the 4.3 kilometre long Indonesian Circuit. Continuing to build on their work throughout the entirety of the year, the duo once again made sure the RC213V was well represented at the front.
Leading the way in the morning, Luca Marini made his intentions abundantly clear – the Italian on top of the pile by 0.136s. Going a further 1.1 seconds faster in the afternoon, Marini would end the day in fourth overall. His 1’29.730 is already six tenths faster than his Q1 time from the Indonesian GP last year. The form is similar to what Marini had in Motegi and he is looking to learn from that experience and really capitalise on Qualifying. Flowing around a circuit he has always enjoyed, the #10 will be one to keep an eye on tomorrow.
Joan Mir was not to be outdone by his teammate and ended the day in sixth, 0.038s off the time set by Marini. Although not as strong a circuit historically as Motegi for the double World Champion, Mir was able to consistently be competitive here in Mandalika on Friday. This is now the third race in a row both riders have entered Q2 directly from Friday, continuing this performance at every race is now a clear and realistic first goal of the weekend.
Both Marini and Mir have shown some of their best form yet today and the pair have the front row as a clear target. With nine riders in the top ten split by half a second, Saturday’s action will be a close fought affair where even a small gain could pay significant dividends.
Luca Marini (10) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Honda HRC Castrol.
Luca Marini – FOURTH 1:29.730 :
“Our feeling and performance is improving with each GP and we are following a clear trajectory. Each time we exit the garage we understand more and push the limit of the bike a little bit further. I know it’s only Friday and we still have a lot of work to do, but we are very satisfied with what we have done today. Tomorrow it will be crucial to find the lap time in Q2 and arrive on the front row of the grid is the target. Tonight we will work to find some more speed with the soft rear because already on race pace I feel comfortable. If we can make this step then I think we can have a really good rest of the weekend.”
Joan Mir (36) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Honda HRC Castrol.
Joan Mir – SIXTH 1:29.768 :
“You really had to be focused today, it was so easy to have a crash today and we had to do some work to get the feeling we had. It was a solid day and I was able to be consistently fast, even if it’s not one of my favourite circuits. Some things to check and improve tonight, but being strong at this circuit shows what our level is like. It’s a day of confidence today, it’s another boost for the rest of the season. A good confirmation of last weekend with some more to come.”
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha :
Quartararo & Rins Secure Direct Q2 Places on Indonesia GP Friday.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team began action at the Mandalika International Circuit today. Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins worked diligently throughout the two sessions to wrap up the Friday in 7th and 8th place respectively in the Practice timesheets, securing places in tomorrow’s Q2.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins finished a sweltering first day at the Mandalika International Circuit in strong fashion, securing a double top 10 on the Friday for the fourth time this season. They ended the Grand Prix of Indonesia Practice in 7th and 8th place respectively, booking direct tickets for Q2.
Quartararo had finished FP1 in seventh place, giving him a confidence boost ahead of the afternoon shoot-out. The Frenchman concentrated on his bike’s set-up in the Practice session before putting in his first bid for a direct place in Q2 with 15 minutes left on the clock. After his first attempts, Fabio held 14th place. His second run was initially disrupted by yellow flags, but he clocked a 1’29.837s on lap 27/27, 0.597s from first, that earned him seventh place in the timesheets.
Rins had a strong start to the Indonesian GP weekend and wrapped up FP1 in an encouraging fourth place. The Spaniard was determined to keep the positive momentum going in the afternoon. He held fifth place in the Practice session until the time attacks started with 16 minutes remaining. It became a fierce battle, but the number 42 kept pushing. With no yellow flags on his final attempt, he set a 1’29.868s best time on lap 28/28. It had him finish the day in eighth place, 0.628s off today’s fastest time.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action tomorrow for the Saturday MotoGP sessions: FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40 GMT+8, followed by the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, and the 13-lap Sprint that starts at 15:00.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
“We’ve had a promising start to the Indonesian Grand Prix. As in previous years, the extreme heat presents a significant challenge for the riders. Historically, these conditions haven’t favoured our bike, and also the medium tyre is not helping our performance, but the high grip levels at this circuit allowed our riders to push with confidence during the time attack on the softs. It’s encouraging to see both Fabio and Álex secure direct entry into Q2 for the fourth time this season. While a strong Friday isn’t half the battle, it certainly is about 35%, as it sets the tone and simplifies the Saturday. That said, we remain focused and committed. The competition here is intense, and we anticipate a close qualifying session followed by a physically demanding Sprint.”
Fabio Quartararo (20) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
Fabio Quartararo: “It was not an easy day for us, but I was able to get one hot lap in at the end. Being inside the top 10 today is very important for the rest of the weekend, but we still need to work on the pace. The grip is good, but the rear tyre with this carcass is unpredictable, and this is making riding more tense.”
Alex Rins (42) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
Alex Rins: “Today was a really good day. I kept the momentum from Japan going. We just kept working, kept doing our best, and today we were really performing well. This doesn’t mean that we don’t have any problems – for sure, there are things we can work on. We are spending a lot of time getting heat into the tyre when we’re on the medium rear. But as soon as we fitted the soft, it went well for us very quickly, so I am happy about today.”
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More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3 :
The action of the Grand Prix of Indonesia is well and truly on at dreamy Lombok Island, with Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales having kicked off their campaign at the Mandalika Circuit, welcoming MotoGP™ for the fourth consecutive year. It wasn’t an easy start for our riders, with both failing to make the cut to Q2 at the end of Friday’s Practice. Bastianini closed the day with the 15th time, while Viñales ended the day in P19, as he continued to fight through the pain from his left shoulder.
Extreme track conditions were an extra factor to consider on Friday, with the humid and hot climate of Lombok island adding more difficulties to the physical exercise of riding the MotoGP™ machine. As he arrived from Motegi with some improvements made during the race, Enea Bastianini was eager to see if he could bring those to Indonesia, so the opening FP1 was dedicated to making some set-up tests. Times were quite close between all riders, and Enea took the 19th time, despite being just 1.3 seconds away from Luca Marini, fastest this morning. Later in the afternoon, Bastianini was back for Practice, but he continued to struggle somehow to find the right feeling with his RC16 on the Indonesian layout. Before the final time attacks, Enea sat in P19 when he picked Johann Zarco’s wheel for the final run. The Italian eventually improved to a 1’30.385 before a few yellow flags were waved with late crashes, but unfortunately, Enea was next to go down at T3, in the final seconds of Practice. P15 for the number 23, as he faces Q1 on Saturday morning.
The opening day in Lombok wasn’t quite easy either for Maverick Viñales, who continued to fight through the pain from his left shoulder. After Japan, the target for our Top Gun was to try getting back to the bike set up he had before his crash in Germany, so the team has worked towards that goal since settling down in Bali’s little sister. In Free Practice 1, the feeling wasn’t too bad for Maverick, as he rounded up the session with the 15th time, just behind teammate Brad Binder, less than one second from Marini. The afternoon’s Practice was tougher for the number 12, who continued to be limited by his shoulder, not recovering as fast as he would like, although it has already been an impressive recovery process so far. A 1’30.529 was the best he could lap this afternoon, as he finished 1.289 seconds from the top of the timesheets. He will face Q1 alongside teammate Bastianini on Saturday morning. The action will resume at 10:10 LT (UTC+8), followed directly by the qualifying sessions. Next, we will have the Tissot Sprint at 15:00, with 13 laps!
Enea Bastianini (23) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3.
Enea Bastianini: “At the start of both sessions today, the first 3-4 laps felt really dangerous because the rear grip was too low, but then the track improved and we could feel a bit better. We have crashed a lot lately, on Fridays, on Saturdays… which is not normal, and it also tells us that we are in a critical situation. I really hope that we can find some improvements, for my future, because we are going through a tough period again, and at the moment, we can’t solve our issues. Let’s check everything with the team tonight, because we need to arrive on Saturday in better shape.”
Maverick Viñales (12) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3.
Maverick Viñales: “Tough day for us, physically. We have a lot to analyze together with the team, and we need to make an important decision. Whether to stop and come back fully fit, or to keep going like this, but riding in my current condition is very hard for me, because I feel a lot of pain, and I can’t give the right feedback. We need to be smart, and evaluate which will be the best way to recover the fastest. This track is quite challenging, and I lose a lot of time in the changes of direction, so we are not at our best. I want to be on the bike, but let’s see our possibilities.”
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More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Team:
Oliveira Breaks Into Q2 in Indonesia GP, Miller Stuck in Q1 After Tricky Friday.
The opening day of action at the Indonesian GP, the 18th round of the MotoGP World Championship, saw Miguel Oliveira secure direct access to Q2, with the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP rider setting the 9th fastest time in Practice. A tougher session instead for Jack Miller, who after finishing 16th will have to start tomorrow‘s qualifying from Q1, ahead of the Sprint Race scheduled at 15:00 local time (09:00 CET).
Miguel Oliveira had been chasing a direct Q2 entry for a long time this season, one marked by the injury he suffered at the start of the championship in Argentina that kept him out of several races and disrupted his adaptation to the YZR-M1. Today, on the Mandalika circuit, that moment finally came for the Portuguese rider of Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP, who closed Practice in ninth position. A result that confirms Oliveira‘s steady progress in the second half of the season.
Jack Miller‘s day, on the other hand, was more of a step backwards. After setting the sixth fastest time in FP1 in the morning, he struggled in the afternoon to find the right feeling (and timing, slowed down also by yellow flags) to put together a lap fast enough to break into the session‘s top 10. With the 16th time at the end of Practice, Miller will now have to fight through Q1 tomorrow in search of one of the two available spots to advance into Q2.
Indonesian GP schedule:
Saturday: 10:.10 (4:10 CET) Free Practice 2; 10:50 (3:50 CET) Qualifying; 15:00 (9:00 CET) Sprint Race (13 laps – 55,91 km)
Sunday: 10:40 (4:40 CET) Warm-up; 15:00 (8:00 CET) Race (24 laps – 116,13 km)
GINO BORSOI – Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
“An interesting weekend for Miguel, who struggled this morning but then managed to find a very good balance both on race pace and on the time attack, earning direct access to Q2 with a lap time very close to Rins and Quartararo. Miller‘s day, on the other hand, was unusual: he did very well in the morning, but in qualifying he wasn‘t able to produce that extra spark he usually finds. There‘s some work to do. Tomorrow it won‘t be easy to get into Q2, as many strong riders are also left out, but we‘ll give it a try.”
Miguel Oliveira (88) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha.
Miguel Oliveira: “A good Friday — finally straight into Q2. I‘ll sleep a little more relaxed tonight. From the start of Practice the feeling was good; I felt comfortable both with the medium and the soft front. I managed two solid time attacks, riding alone and consistently, and for once no yellow flags, so I‘m happy. This morning it was really difficult to get the rear tyre working, and in my first laps I almost crashed three or four times within the first five. Now the goal is a strong qualifying and then to fight for some points in the Sprint.”
Jack Miller (43) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha.
Jack Miller: “I‘m happy with today‘s performance, even if it doesn‘t fully show on paper. Between yellow flags and a few other issues, the bike felt good here, and the pace was strong. Riding alone I was able to put in some good laps, which is encouraging. There‘s still one area, Turn 6, where we need to work a lot — I‘m losing quite a bit there because I can‘t hold partial throttle the way I‘d like. Apart from that, everything is positive. I feel confident we can dip into the 1‘29s tomorrow. It‘s going to be an exciting Q1, and we‘ll need to bring our best.”
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More from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Day one at Mandalika Circuit for the Ducati Lenovo Team: Marc Márquez is eleventh, Francesco Bagnaia seventeenth.
The Ducati Lenovo Team has tackled the opening day of practice for the Grand Prix of Indonesia at the Mandalika Circuit. Marc Márquez finished Practice in eleventh place, while Francesco Bagnaia wrapped up the afternoon session in seventeenth. Both riders will therefore partake in Q1.
Fifth quickest in the morning, Márquez crashed unhurt twice in the first half of Practice. He then made his way back to third with 14 minutes left but was bumped out of the top ten in the final seconds. Bagnaia, on the other hand, was unable to improve in what turned into a chaotic final part of the session, with yellow flag situations limiting his time-attack opportunities.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will resume proceedings tomorrow morning at 10:10 local time (GMT +8), followed by Q1 at 10:50 and Q2 at 11:15. The eighteenth Sprint of the season will take place from 15:00 over a 13-lap distance.
Marc Marquez (93) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Ducati Lenovo Team.
Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 11th “The day started off in a positive way and I was riding well, but in the afternoon the feeling was really strange. I crashed twice: the first time I lost the rear, and the second one was a highside without warning. When we changed the tyre, the situation got back to normal, but I chose not to take too many risks. It will be my first Q1 of the season tomorrow, which is not ideal, but this is racing. We surely need to improve the feeling for tomorrow, also because this circuit doesn’t suit my riding style perfectly.”
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Ducati Lenovo Team.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 17th “For some reason, we’re not able to perform well at the rear-end. It’s strange because last year we were competitive from the get-go, while now it takes several laps to make everything work. Riding-wise, I can’t be as effective under braking on corner entry as in Japan, but we’ll try to fix this. I’m sure the track conditions will improve as the weekend progresses, but for now the situation is quite challenging.”
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More from a press release issued by CASTROL Honda LCR:
Zarco wraps up Friday at Mandalika
CASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco concluded Friday’s sessions at the Mandalika Circuit in 14th position.
The Frenchman delivered a solid morning performance in Indonesia, identifying both encouraging positives and key areas for improvement with the new package.
Despite suffering a crash during Practice, Zarco battled fiercely and maintained positions within Q2 contention. Unfortunately, a second crash late in the session prevented him from securing a spot in Q2.
The team is focused on adjusting the setup to help Johann feel more comfortable and confident on the bike, as there are still some areas where he doesn’t feel at ease to fully push. On the bright side, he has shown strong potential in sector two, where speed and performance have improved noticeably.
There is a promising opportunity to advance from Q1 to Q2, with the team fully committed to further progress ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying and Sprint race.
Johann Zarco (5) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy CASTROL Honda LCR
Johann Zarco 14th – (1’30.230): “The second crash happened very fast, but I’m fine, I just slid out. Today I’ve been struggling a bit with the front end of the bike, and we’re working hard to fix that. I wanted to stay competitive and push hard, but sometimes crashes happen. It’s a pity to miss out on Q2, but we’ll give everything tomorrow to get through Q1. We’re trying different setups to regain that good feeling. The new bike’s grip is better, and the engine performance has improved too; we just need to find the right balance.”
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More from a press release issued by IDEMITSU Honda LCR:
Somkiat Chantra completes Friday sessions in Mandalika
IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Somkiat Chantra finished 20th on Friday at the Mandalika Circuit in Indonesia.
Thai rider Somkiat Chantra got off to a positive start at the Mandalika Circuit, a track he knows well and where he’s had strong results in the past.
Riding a MotoGP bike here for the first time brought a mix of good signs and a few challenges as he adjusted to the new demands.
In the afternoon, Chantra started Practice with good pace, but a crash midway through the session disrupted his rhythm. Fortunately, he didn’t suffer any physical consequences, though the incident prevented him from pushing further, and he ended the day in 20th place.
Somkiat Chantra (35) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Idemitsu Honda LCR
Somkiat Chantra 20th – (1’31.434) : “It’s been a tough day for me. I struggled to find the right feeling with different tyres, and in the afternoon, while trying to push for a fast lap time, I crashed after losing the front. Luckily, I’m fine. We will try different things tomorrow to take a step forward and improve, as I really like this circuit and I believe we can do a good job.”
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
October 20, 2025
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha 
GINO BORSOI – Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP 
