Johann Zarco led MotoGP World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna, in Brazil. Riding his Castrol Honda LCR RC213V on spec Michelin tires, the Frenchman turned a lap time of 1:21.257 to lead the 22-rider field.

Marc Marquez was the best of the rest with a 1:21.382 on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP26.

Toprak Razgatlioglu was third at 1:21.565 on his Prima Pramac Yamaha YZR-M1.

Jorge Martin finished the session fourth with a 1:21.566 on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pedro Acosta got fifth with a lap time of 1:21.750.

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Zarco fastest from Marc Marquez in Brazil, Razgatlioglu into Q2. Rain plays a big role in MotoGP Practice at the Brazilian GP with the Turkish rookie impressing on the opening day back in Goiania. 

Castrol Honda LCR’s Johann Zarco fronts the MotoGP pack after a mixed conditions Day 1 plays out at the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Brazil, in a rain-affected afternoon stint that saw Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) round out the top three, with Thai GP winner Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) heading for Q1 after a P20 finish on Friday.

RAIN, RAIN, STAY AWAY

It was dry, but for how long? There was no hanging about at the start of MotoGP Practice in Brazil with a looming threat of rain, and the slick tyre time attacks were slammed in right at the top of the session. Damp patches and a light drizzle made conditions far from ideal, and it caught out a few riders in the early running.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed very soon into the session at Turn 4, with Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) and home hero Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) also suffering similar incidents at the same corner while the heavy rain steered clear.

Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) and Marc Marquez were doing the early running at the timesheet summit, before Zarco pounced to go P1 with a 1:21.257. It was a real battle to get into the top 10 in the opening half an hour, with rookie Razgatlioglu arguably impressing the most. The Turk climbed to P3 behind Zarco and Marc Marquez, ahead of Martin and World Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), and then the downpour came.

With around 30 minutes of Practice left, heavier rain sprinkled the Autodromo Internacional de Goiania – Ayrton Senna, and that meant anyone needing an improvement would be left disappointed – including Bezzecchi, who was sitting in P20 when the wet weather arrived.

The Italian was the first rider back out on track in the final 10 minutes once the weather had eased somewhat, and the Thai GP winner was lapping on slick tyres too in an attempt to try and scramble his way into the top 10. However, as expected, an improvement wasn’t coming. After running wide on the entry into Turn 10, Bezzecchi pulled back into the box and it looked like that was all she wrote in terms of the automatic Q2 places. And the same can be said for Thailand’s double podium finisher Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) – the #25 was outside the top 20 on a disappointing day for half of the RS-GP fleet. 

YOUR BRAZIL TOP 10 ON FRIDAY

So behind the top three of Zarco, Marc Marquez and Razgatlioglu, we have Martin and Acosta, with Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) completing the top six. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) makes it two Yamahas inside the top 10 in P7, the Frenchman will be pleased with that, and chapeau to eighth place Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP). No pre-season testing. Still needing crutches to get around. And he sticks his Ducati in P8 in very tricky conditions. Impressive.

The 2025 Rookie of the Year sails into Q2 ahead of ninth place Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), with Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) the final rider who will sleep a little easier tonight knowing they’re safely into the pole position shootout in Goiania.

COMING UP: TISSOT SPRINT SATURDAY IN BRAZIL

A mixed conditions opening day back in Brazil has set us up very nicely for the second Tissot Sprint Saturday of the season. The weather is set to play a huge factor again in qualifying and in the dash for a gold medal, so be sure not to miss a single second of action at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

MotoGP Brazilian GP Practice results!

Tony Arbolino led Moto2 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna, in Brazil. Riding his REDS Fantic Racing Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Italian lapped the 2.38-mile (3.84 km) road course in 1:23.709, topping the field of 28 riders. 

Manuel Gonzalez was second-best with a time of 1:23.879 on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex.

David Alonso did a third-fastest 1:24.075 on his CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team Kalex.

Angel Piqueras got fourth on his QJMOTOR – Pont Grup – MSI Kalex wit a lap time of 1:24.188.

Mario Aji crossed the finish line fifth with a time of 1:24.270 on his Idemitsu Honda Team Asia Kalex.

American Joe Roberts finished Friday afternoon’s practice session 20th with a best time of 1:25.151 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Arbolino heads Gonzalez for Friday Moto2 honours, Holgado in Q1. The Italian puts his Buriram woes behind him to lead the first day of Moto2 action in Brazil.

Battle lines have been drawn on our groundbreaking opening day at Goiania in Moto2 with Tony Arbolino (REDS Fantic Racing) leading the way and a pack of surprises. Behind him, Buriram winner Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) and David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) completed the top three in what turned out to be a Friday that featured all four seasons. A wet but drying morning followed by wind, spots of rain but overall dry running in the afternoon, Goiania’s unpredictability was mirrored by the weather.

An array of fresh names and faces made it into Q2 straight away but it was Arbolino who surprised the most by topping the day’s running. The Italian led the combined times courtesy of the afternoon’s Practice being the only dry track time but nonetheless, made the most of the evolving conditions to lead the Moto2 charge. Championship leader Gonzalez was right behind him, 0.170s off the #14 whilst it was Alonso who rounded out the top three.

Onto the surprises and it’s fair to say that Angel Piqueras (QJ MOTOR – PONT GRUP – MSI) was a headline-grabber in fourth as he took top rookie honours whilst Mario Aji (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) was fifth, repeating his efforts from Friday afternoon in Thailand. Celestino Vietti (HDR SpeedRS Team) rounded out the top six but suffered a late technical issue.

Notable names not in the top 14 such as Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) who was 16^th, Aron Canet (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in 18^th and Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) in 20^th, with the Spaniard struggling on day one in Goiania after his podium from Buriram. There was a late crash for Zonta Van den Goorbergh crash at Turn 13.

Full results from Moto2 Practice at Goiania in Brazil!

David Almansa led Moto3 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna, in Brazil. Almansa used his Pirelli-shod Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP KTM to lap the 2.38-mile (3.84 km) track in 1:30.260, which led the field of 25 riders.

Code Motorsports KTM’s Cormac Buchanan was second-best with a time of 1:30.263.

Veda Pratama, piloting his Honda Team Asia machine, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:30.310.

Joel Kelso got fourth on his GRYD MLav Racing Honda with a lap time of 1:30.371. 

Rico Salmela crossed the finish line fifth on his Red Bull KTM Tech3 machine with a time of 1:30.481. 

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Almansa pips Buchanan and Pratama on Friday in Brazil. Spain, New Zealand and Indonesia lock out the top three as Moto3 take on Goiânia for the first time. 

David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) went quickest in Friday Practice at the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Brazil, but it’s just 0.050 covering the top three at the end of the session and day on MotoGP’s return to Brazil. Second goes to New Zealand’s Cormac Buchanan (CODE Motorsports), just 0.003 off the top, with Indonesian rookie Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) 0.047 further back in third.

Almansa’s 1:30.260 to go quickest in the afternoon is down from a 1:32.812 set by rookie Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in FP1, with conditions improved by the time practice rolled around for it to be officially classed as dry. Uriarte was nearly four tenths clear at the top in the morning and P7 in the afternoon.

Joel Kelso (MLav Racing), rookie Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP – MTA) trailed Pratama in the afternoon overall, slotting in ahead of Uriarte in P7. Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), Leo Rammerstorfer (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completed the top ten, with some of the less experienced riders finding plenty of space to shine at a track that’s brand new for all on the grid.

The top 14 – check out full results from Moto3 Practice in Brazil here – head straight through to Q2 qualifying, so make sure to come back for more from Moto3 on Saturday as the grid gets decided in Goiânia!

Pedro Acosta topped MotoGP World Championship Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna, in Brazil. Riding his Michelin-shod Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16, the Spaniard turned a lap of 1:26.688 around the 2.38-mile (3.84 km) track and led the 22-rider field.

Jack Miller was second-best with a 1:26.775 on his Prima Pramac Yamaha YZR-M1. 

Marco Bezzecchi was third with a lap of 1:26.918 on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26.

Marc Marquez got fourth on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP26 with a time of 1:26.975.

Franco Morbidelli crossed the finish line fifth with a lap time of 1:27.170 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Ducati Desmosedici GP25.

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Acosta edges out Miller, Bezzecchi third as MotoGP action opens in Brazil. The Championship leader takes to the top in our first session in Goiânia, with Miller for close company and Bezzecchi slotting into third. 

MotoGP is officially back on track in Brazil! It was a little later than scheduled but the first session is very much in the books after a rainy morning in Goiânia – and it’s Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) taking the first top spot of the weekend with a 1:26.688. The extended session – as it’s a new venue – boiled up into a flurry of changes at the top of the timesheets, with Acosta edging out Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) by 0.087 and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) taking P3, 0.230 off the top.

Action got underway for the MotoGP class by midday after the rain delay, starting on wets before around half an hour to go saw the first rider have a go on slicks: Miller, as could be somewhat expected. When the Australian headed out it was tight at the top too, with Marc Marquez leading the way early on ahead of teammate Francesco Bagnaia by just 0.001, with Acosta just 0.004 off the top – but conditions kept changing as the track dried out.

They weren’t, however, really dry enough for slicks for some time after Miller’s experiment. The rest pounded on with wets, with Marc Marquez still top with a 1:27.7 ahead of Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Acosta third.

Into the final ten minutes, the timesheets absolutely lit up and the slicks came out. Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) was leading with only a few minutes on the clock before a barrage of red sectors started coming in, and by the end of the flurry it was Acosta in charge – but not by much. The #37 pipped Miller to the top by just 0.87, with Bezzecchi slotting into third 0.230 off the top. Marc Marquez was demoted to fourth, another few hundredths in arrears, with Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) fifth and Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) the last of the last minute pickpocketers edging Martin down to P7.

Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) slots into eighth, 0.888 off the top. That’s no mean feat as he both returns from a broken leg and in a session with changing conditions tempting riders to walk the limit. He finished FP1 just ahead of Bagnaia and Alex Marquez.

There were no crashes in the session as the riders got themselves familiar with the Autodromo Ayrton Senna, with only a few moments seen out on track and a run off for Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) early in the session, no harm done.

Check out the full results from FP1 at the Brazilian GP HERE and come back for this afternoon as the Practice session gets underway to decide direct Q2 entrants from 16:00 (UTC-3)!