Trackhouse MotoGP’s Ai Ogura led MotoGP FP2 at Circuit de Valencia on Saturday. Ducati Lenovo’s Francesco Bagnaia, Aprilia Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing’s Franco Morbidelli, and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pedro Acosta completed the top five.
MotoGP FP2 Classification
Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Daniel Muñoz led Moto2 FP2 at Circuit de Valencia on Saturday morning. BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2’s Izan Guevara, ITALJET Gresini Moto2’s Albert Arenas, LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP’s Manuel Gonzalez,and Red Bull KTM Ajo Collin Veijer completed the top five.
Moto2 FP2 Classification
Leopard Racing’s David Almansa topped Moto3 FP2 at Circuit de Valencia on Saturday.
Leopard Racing teammate Adrian Fernandez was second, while SIC58 Squadra Corse’s Luca Lunetta, CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team’s Maximo Quiles and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brian Uriarte filled out the top five.
Moto3 FP2 Classification
More from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Excellent start for Aprilia Racing in Valencia.
The first day of practice on the Ricardo Tormo Circuit ended on a positive note for Aprilia Racing. Marco Bezzecchi kicked off his Friday with the eighteenth-best time in FP1. In the afternoon practice session, the Italian rider took a decisive step forward, finishing the session with an outstanding second place, in spite of a crash on turn 4 in the early stages of the session. This result puts him straight through to Q2.
On his return after the injury suffered in Motegi, Jorge Martín underwent a medical exam on Thursday by the FIM Grand Prix World Championship Medical Team and was declared fit to race. For him, Friday was a day of adapting after more than a month and a half of downtime. He finished the practice session twenty-second, which means that he’ll need to go through Q1 on Saturday.
Also worth a mention is the performance by Trackhouse MotoGP Team’s Ai Ogura, who finished the practice session fifth, thereby earning the right to go straight through to Q2 along with Bezzecchi.
Marco Bezzecchi: “It was a great day because we improved significantly between the morning and the afternoon. The team did an outstanding job. I was able to do the second time attack with the bike I had crashed on and I’d like to thank them for that. I made a small mistake on turn 4 and crashed because I released the brake too soon.”
Jorge Martin: “I feel much better than I thought I would. On one hand, that’s positive because it means that I have recovered – not one hundred percent, obviously – but still good in such a short amount of time. On the other hand, however, I feel like I want to do more. I just focused on turning laps and finding my pace and the sensations.”
Paolo Bonora: “We are extremely happy because, with Marco, we confirmed the good feeling on this track and with the RS-GP25, as the second place in Q2 demonstrates. We are also pleased with Jorge’s return. The goal with him is obviously to build back confidence with the bike in view of 2026. We already demonstrated that we have a good setup this morning, also with Ogura. We need to continue working in order to be ready for qualifying and the sprint race on Saturday.”
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More from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Racing Team:
In Valencia from Q2.
6 th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’30.884s)
11th – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (1’31.113s)
4th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’29.473s) Q2
8th – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (1’29.597s) Q2
Alex Marquez: “It was a Friday in which we started already some work in preparation for Tuesday’s test. It’s clear that this activity took some time away from the weekend’s work, but we still achieved our goal. This year, we secured 21 direct seeds to Q2 and this surely is something I’m proud of. For tomorrow, it’s true that Pedro and Bezzecchi are fast, but even those behind have gotten closer compared to Portugal.”
Fermin Aldeguer: “It wasn’t an easy track today, especially in the afternoon. The morning crash took away a bit of feeling and we didn’t manage to return to the track in FP1. We still worked well and in the end we secured our spot in Q2, which was the goal. There’s surely plenty of margin to do better tomorrow, even though there’s a lot of difference in terms of performance between compounds, and we’ll need to be accurate.”
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More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Jack Miller Leads the Charge for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP with a Strong P6 on Friday in Valencia.
Jack Miller was one of the standout performers on the opening day of the Valencia GP, the 22nd and final round of the MotoGP World Championship. At the end of the afternoon Practice session, the Australian rider of Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP — already fastest in the morning‘s FP1 — secured an excellent sixth place, earning direct access to tomorrow‘s Q2 at 10:50 local time. That session will determine the grid for both the afternoon Sprint at 15:00 and Sunday‘s Grand Prix, which starts at 14:00 and will close the season. A more difficult Friday, instead, for Miguel Oliveira, who struggled with rear grip and ended the day 21st.
Jack Miller has often been very fast at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia where MotoGP returns after last year‘s forced cancellation due to flooding, and which traditionally closes the MotoGP season. The Australian has stood on the Valencia podium four times in his career, including one win, and two years ago he led the race for a long stretch before crashing out. So, his intense and competitive Friday comes as no surprise: in the morning, the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP rider topped the timesheets, then confirmed both his own strong form and that of the Yamaha YZR-M1 in the afternoon Practice, finishing sixth (1’29″556) and locking in direct Q2 access for tomorrow morning.
It was a complicated Friday for Miguel Oliveira, who — just as last week in Portimao — continued to struggle with rear-end grip, a limitation preventing him from exploiting the full potential of his bike. In the end, the Portuguese rider had to settle for 21st place, which means he will have to fight his way through Q1 tomorrow.
Valencia GP schedule:
Saturday: 10.10 Free Practice 2; 10.50 Qualifying; 15.00 Sprint Race (13 laps – 52,065 km)
Sunday: 9.40 Warm-up; 14.00 Race (27 laps – 108,14)
GINO BORSOI – Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha:
“I‘d say it was a very good Friday, especially for Miller, who was already very strong this morning — even though he used a new tire to set his time — and then performed extremely well again in Practice. Well done to him and his team, they worked really well. I‘m sorry for Oliveira: once again we haven‘t been able to find a good balance between him and the bike. Everyone is working very hard, but we still haven‘t found the right setup. Hopefully we can discover something between today and tomorrow that allows him to improve.”
Jack Miller: “I felt great from the start. I love this place and the bike is working very well. This isn‘t a crazy-fast circuit — it‘s actually quite tight for MotoGP bikes, almost like a go-kart track — and I feel we can do a good job this weekend. We can manage the pace and use the tyres well. I feel competitive, definitely more competitive than I‘ve been in recent weeks in terms of staying with the other bikes and following them.”
Miguel Oliveira: “It was a bad day, I have to admit. I wasn‘t expecting to have such low rear grip. I‘ve been complaining about this since Portimao: I don‘t have the edge grip to make the bike turn, and I feel like I‘m taking a lot of risks on the front end. I can‘t use the bike‘s full potential to exit the corners. I‘m spinning too much and I can‘t pick the bike up and drive out. So yes, it‘s a very frustrating day, because I feel comfortable when I‘m riding — but the bike just isn‘t performing.”
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC:
Mir straight to final Q2 of 2025 in Valencia.
An intense final Friday of 2025 action for the Honda HRC Castrol team, Joan Mir leading the Honda charge in ninth as Luca Marini was edged out of the top ten by barely two tenths – a single second splitting 20 riders.
Returning to Valencia for the first time since 2023, both Joan Mir and Luca Marini were keen to quickly get back up to speed and understand the condition of the circuit. With stable weather conditions throughout the day, both Honda HRC Castrol riders were able to make improvements over the course of running as their preparations for the final round of year continued at pace.
Working to understand the different condition of the circuit on his return to Valencia, Mir put together an overall positive Friday. Encountering very different conditions to 2023 the #36 had to work hard for his lap times today but it will no doubt pay off with a position on the front four rows of the grid already guaranteed. Ninth when the day came to a close, Joan Mir would once again lead the Honda charge and secure his spot in Q2.
Marini had a somewhat more challenging day, managing a best time of 1’29.896 for 16th overall – but only 0.2s shy of the top ten. Also struggling to get the most out of the Honda RC213V in the low-grip conditions, the Italian is hoping for improvements on Saturday. Securing a good position on the grid will be vital, overtaking in Valencia often a tricky affair.
Joan Mir: “A happy day but one that was more difficult than I was expecting. The conditions didn’t help, here in Valencia the grip has reduced a lot compared to what I remember. Even without things going their best we are in Q2 which is a really positive sign. I was using the hard front which shows the confidence I have in the bike, it’s very good for braking but we need to find something more in the longer corners. This is where we need to find those three tenths we are missing and make another step!”
Luca Marini: “The grip has changed a lot compared to two years ago, so how our bike is behaving here is really different. In the past it was a circuit where Honda was really strong and now we are struggling a little more. I was really expecting more, and we need to work to improve it overnight, there’s still the possibility to do something but it’s not like we thought it would be. It was warmer than we were expecting which is always nice because sometimes here in Valencia it can get really, really cold.”
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Quartararo in Line-Up for Valencia GP Q2, Rins to Tackle Q1.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team had a mixed Grand Prix of the Valencian Community Friday. Despite a setback mid-way through today’s Practice, Fabio Quartararo managed to secure P10 and a direct entry into Q2. Álex Rins wrapped up the afternoon session in P17, putting him on the entry list for tomorrow’s Q1.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins had to push hard on the Friday at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. The Practice times at the short track were all very close together, promising an exciting Grand Prix of the Valencian Community race weekend. Quartararo ended the Practice session in 10th and will take part in tomorrow’s Q2, while Rins placed 17th, which puts him on the entry list for tomorrow’s Q1.
Quartararo completed this morning’s Free Practice 1 in 13th place. He made progress in the early stages of the afternoon Practice session and was featuring inside the top 10 when at the midway stage he encountered a sudden technical problem. The Frenchman was quick to return to the box though. As he headed back out on track, he had to push to regain a direct Q2-entry, but he was unfazed. His best time of 1’29.673s, set on lap 18/23, got the job done. It earned him 10th place in the classifications, 0.433s from the top.
Rins ended FP1 in 15th place with a 1’31.301s, but he felt that he would be able to make a step forward at the Ricardo Tormo track in the Practice. The Spaniard worked diligently in the afternoon session and dropped under the 1’30s mark when he set a 1’29.999s on his 22nd and final lap. However, it was not enough to contend for the top 10. It put him in 17th place in the classifications, 0.759s from first.
The teammates will be back in action for FP2, held tomorrow from 10:10-10:40 (GMT+1). The qualifying sessions will follow from 10:50-11:30, and the 13-lap Sprint will start at 15:00.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
“We had a bit of a complicated start. Fabio made good progress between the morning session and the afternoon Practice. He was showing good pace, but a sudden technical error cost him time and spoiled his plans for the Practice. However, Fabio showed his adaptability and still got the job done. In the end, Álex was not fast enough in the time attacks. The team will help him prepare for tomorrow’s Q1 session, because we expect that it will be a tough battle for those top two spots. Overall, the times of the entire MotoGP field are close together: with 19 riders within 1s it promises to be an entertaining final showdown for the fans.”
Fabio Quartararo: “I had an issue with leaking fuel in the Practice. Other than that, I was struggling to find a good feeling with the front. Hopefully tomorrow we can make a step, also on one-lap speed, so I’ll feel a bit more comfortable. It looks like our base at the last two races doesn’t translate well here, but we are trying to figure out what we can do.”
Alex Rins: “Our weekend started in the Practice – let’s say it like that – because in FP1 I really struggled with the setting of the bike. We were using a ‘normal’ set-up in the morning, but I couldn’t turn well and was going wide. So, we did a drastic set-up change for the Practice, and I noticed a big positive change. We have given it everything we have since the first session, but we still need to polish some small things to be a bit more towards the front.”
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC:
Aleix Espargaro shows his speed with 13th on Friday in Valencia.
The Honda HRC Test Team immediately made their hard work known at the final round of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship season. A fiercely competitive Aleix Espargaro converted a stunning third place in FP1 to a 13th place in the afternoon, finishing ahead of Bagnaia on the factory Ducati.
Aleix Espargaro: “We’ve had a really good start today, the bike I am riding has improved a lot since the start of the year and I have also been riding a lot more, so everything is coming together. There is more potential there from the bike, I was pushing but that final bit – I have margin, and we can go faster. There’s more stability, speed, everything has improved over the course of the year. We need to make the most of Qualifying because overtaking here is very hard.”
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More from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
The Ducati Lenovo Team prepares for Q1 after opening day at Valencia: Bagnaia fourteenth in Practice, Bulega twenty-fourth.
The Ducati Lenovo Team tackled the final Friday of the 2025 MotoGP season at Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Francesco Bagnaia finished a hard-fought Practice session in fourteenth place, while Nicolò Bulega was twenty-fourth at the flag.
Bagnaia, twenty-first in Free Practice, climbed to the top of the timesheets in the early minutes. In the final stages of the session, however, Pecco was unable to make his way back into the top ten and was eventually fourteenth, less than six tenths from first place. Bulega, in his second-ever MotoGP event, continued his adaptation to the Desmosedici GP as he wrapped up the afternoon in twenty-fourth position.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will resume action tomorrow morning at 10:10 local time (GMT +1) for Free Practice 2, followed by Q1 at 10:50 and Q2 at 11:15. The twenty-second Sprint of the season will be contested over 13 laps from 15:00.
Francesco Bagnaia: “Today we unfortunately didn’t work in the right direction. There was a slight improvement between the two sessions and I hope that – as the grip increases – we’ll be able to make a more significant step forward. We need to improve the bike behaviour under braking and in the turning phase. Looking at the data, it’s clear that we’re missing speed on corner entry and when opening the throttle, which costs me quite a bit of time. The lack of feeling, in this sense, doesn’t help me give clear indications, and I knew this was a track where we could struggle. In any case, we keep working to find a solution.”
Nicolò Bulega: “Riding at this track with a MotoGP bike is not simple and I’m still struggling in some areas of the circuit. This is a very technical track with very interconnected corners: if you don’t have full confidence with the front-end, it becomes challenging to make the bike turn. I can’t exploit the tyres as much as I’d like, especially the soft ones, as I end up with the same lap-times as with the other compounds. When that happens, it means you still haven’t found the limit. In any case, it was overall a positive day and we’ll try to make a step forward tomorrow.”
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More from a press release issued by CASTROL Honda LCR:
CASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco finishes Friday in 15th place at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia.
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More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3:
After two years, MotoGP™ finally roared again at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, with Friday’s action at the Grand Prix of Valencia giving the whistle for the last game of the season. Red Bull KTM Tech3 was honoured to finally welcome back Maverick Viñales returning to competing after missing out the last three rounds. The Spaniard closed his first day back in the office in 18th, and teammate Enea Bastianini followed in 19th, as both Tech3 riders will face Q1 on the final qualifying day of 2025.
Red Bull KTM Tech3’s full line-up was then ready to go on Friday morning, with both Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales hitting the track for FP1 with a slightly delayed start following a red-flagged Moto2™ FP1. Both got their first taste of the RC16 on the Valencian layout, as we saw Bastianini close the opening session 0.944 seconds off the top, yet in 17th, and Viñales’ pace saw Top Gun end just 1 second from early pace setter, Jack Miller. The main class hit back the track at 15:00 sharp in the afternoon for the final Practice of the season, and the time attacks promised sparklings, with 21 riders less than one second of each other, with just under 20 minutes left on the clock. Pedro Acosta was at the top with a 1’29.790, Viñales’ best in 1’30.623 had him in P17 before the final time attacks, and teammate Bastianini was not far behind with a 1’30.706, in 20th. As all riders began pushing to make the final top 10 cut of the year, we saw Bastianini sneak into the top 10 for a few seconds with a first attack in 1’30.237, but the others followed, and he dropped to 13th. He continued to push, but somehow he could not put it all together to improve his lap time, and we saw him finish the session in 19th. Viñales could improve to a 1’30.147, but that was just 0.474 seconds short of Q2! The Spaniard will face Q1 on Saturday, alongside his teammate, in the final qualifying session of 2025, starting at 10:50 local time, shortly after FP2. Then, lights of the Tissot Sprint will go out at 15:00 local time (UTC+1), for 13 laps.
Maverick Viñales: “I had not been on that bike for a few weeks, so of course it was tough today, but the goal at the moment is to feel comfortable again on the bike, before being able to push. I am still missing some flexibility, so we just need to make a few twists on my position, and then it will be good! It has been positive to see that my shoulder has improved a lot, we are no longer feeling pain, which is good. The bike is good otherwise, it is super fast, and we just have work to catch up on my side, since I have not been able to push since my injury! Good feeling heading to Saturday!”
Enea Bastianini: “Similar story to usual of course, but the start of the day was not so bad to be honest. We struggled again as soon as we switched tires, which is an ongoing issue we are trying to solve from our end. Also, the feeling when I put the soft rear changed, I could not, once again, turn the bike like I wanted, the rear was pushing the front a lot, and I am really waiting for Tuesday’s test, because it is a very important issue we need to address. Let’s continue working, and see if we can make some improvements for tomorrow.”
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More from a press release issued by Yamaha Factory Racing Team:
Augusto Fernández Begins Final 2025 Wild-Card Weekend on Valencia GP Friday.
The Yamaha Factory Racing Team continued their V4-powered prototype testing programme at the Grand Prix of the Valencian Community today. Wild-card entry Augusto Fernández resumed his mission of gathering useful data to boost bike development. He finished the Friday Practice session in 20th place.
The Yamaha Factory Racing Team started their V4-powered prototype testing plan for the Grand Prix of the Valencian Community weekend. Augusto Fernández’s goal is again to gather data to aid bike development. He wrapped up today’s Practice in 20th place, putting him on the entry list for tomorrow’s Q1.
Fernández was satisfied with the FP1 proceedings, which he finished in 10th place with an encouraging 1’31.035s. The Spanish rider was keen to keep the positive trend going in the 1-hour Practice session in the afternoon, but an early crash lost him a bit of time. The Yamaha Factory Racing Team still managed to make steps in accordance with today’s V4-powered prototype testing plan as Fernández completed 25 laps in total. A 1’30.267s, set on lap 19, had him finish in 20th place in the Practice results, 1.027s from first.
The Yamaha Factory Racing Team will continue their testing programme during the Saturday MotoGP sessions: FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40 local track time (GMT+1), followed by the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, and the 13-lap Sprint, which starts at 15:00.
Augusto Fernandez: “Today was good, there weren’t any negatives. I noticed a slight improvement. I had a small crash in the Practice, but overall we worked well today. FP1 was okay, and I was riding on the pace from the start, so I could feel everything better than in Sepang. We are noticing consistency in our findings, which is positive as well. Valencia and Sepang are quite different, but the feelings are similar, which is good. Tomorrow, we want to see if we can make a step, especially with the front of the bike, and we’ll try to find a good base.”
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More from a press release issued by IDEMITSU Honda LCR:
IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Somkiat Chantra finished 23rd on Friday at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia.
Acosta leads Bezzecchi by 0.053s on a competitive Friday in Valencia.
KTM lead Aprilia on the opening day of action as half a second covers the top 14 heading into Saturday’s action.
The rider to beat on MotoGP’s final Friday of the season? Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). The KTM star set a 1:29.240 to beat Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) by just 0.053s at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, as Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) earned P3 in what was a very competitive opening day of action at the Motul Grand Prix of the Valencian Community.
Bezzecchi on top early, but then Turn 4 bites
It was Bezzecchi who led the way for the majority of the opening half an hour, but the Italian didn’t have it all his own way. A crash occurred for the Aprilia star at Turn 4 while he was shadowing Acosta, with fellow Aprilia rider Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) hitting the deck at Turn 3 just before we entered the final half an hour of Practice.
At the same time, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Fabio Di Giannantonio and Morbidelli climbed to P1 and P2, before Acosta stepped up his pace to go two tenths clear of the fluorescent yellow Ducati duo with a 1:29.790, and on his next lap, the sophomore set the exact same time. Consistency.
Problems for Quartararo’s M1
Elsewhere, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) encountered an issue with his YZR-M1 on the front straight as we dipped into the closing 30 minutes, which looked like it signalled the end to the session for the Frenchman’s number one machine.
Acosta moves the goalposts in Q2 chase
Heading into the final 15 minutes, Acosta’s advantage grew to over half a second after setting a 1:29.240, with Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) jumping up to P2 to act as the #37’s closest challenger. Morbidelli changed that with under 12 minutes left; however, the Italian was still over 0.5s away from Acosta’s benchmark.
The gap then closed when Alex Marquez, Di Giannantonio and Quartararo wriggled their way above Morbidelli, with Acosta’s lead now three and a half tenths with seven minutes left on the clock. It was then down to 0.236s as Bezzecchi landed his session best lap, and on his next push, the Italian went 0.053s away from Acosta.
Miller was back into the top three as well now, as KTM led Aprilia, Yamaha and Ducati with three minutes left, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) still outside the top 10. Things then got worse for Pecco when Ogura shot from P15 to P3, as plenty of improvements were chalked in ahead of the chequered flag.
There weren’t many more after that though. Bagnaia couldn’t find time and found himself outside the top 10, with Acosta holding onto P1 thanks to that earlier time.
Your Friday top 10 in Valencia
Alex Marquez ended the day in P4 behind the aforementioned top three, with rookie Ogura completing the top five. Miller was the top Yamaha on Day 1 in P6, Di Giannantonio ended the final Friday of 2025 in P7, with Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and Quartararo earning automatic Q2 honours.
Coming up: Tissot Sprint Saturday in Valencia
Half a second splits the top 14, which consists of Acosta, 14th place Bagnaia, and everyone sandwiched between the two, with 0.9s covering the top 19. It’s a tight affair in Valencia, which sets us up nicely for qualifying and Tissot Sprint Saturday in Valencia.
Results HERE as we now go full steam ahead into Saturday at the season finale.
Moto2™: Moreira Q1-bound in Valencia as Holgado sets the pace
The Championship leader finishes P19 on Friday, with title rival Gonzalez 10th quickest at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
An early slice of drama into the Moto2 title deciding weekend, then. Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) will be battling it out in Q1 on Saturday afternoon at the Grand Prix of Valencia after finishing Friday’s Practice session in P19, while title rival Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) sails into Q2 with a P10 result on Day 1. Meanwhile, despite a late tumble, Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) led the way with a 1:32.408, with Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Daniel Muñoz (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the top three.
Moments after going fastest, Holgado was forced to lay his Triumph-Kalex machine down in the gravel at Turn 2 after a mistake under brakes, which meant both CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team riders crashed in Practice after David Alonso’s earlier off.
Holgado held the lead heading into the final three minutes, but Moreira found himself in P17. On his penultimate lap, the Brazilian couldn’t find an improvement, so it all came down to the Championship leader’s final lap of the session. And again, a time good enough for Q2 didn’t come. A Friday shock in the Moto2 title race, with Moreira in Q1 for the first time since the Czech GP.
Izan Guevara (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) – after a heavy crash on the exit of Turn 4 in FP1 – and the impressive Alex Escrig (KLINT Forward Factory Team) rounded out the fastest five on Day 1, as attention now turns to Q1 on Saturday afternoon.
Joining Moreira in the first part of qualifying are the likes of 2025 Grand Prix winners Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) and Alonso, and with the times so tight on Day 1, the rider at the top of the standings summit has an uphill climb heading into the weekend.
Tune into Moto2 qualifying at 13:40 local time to see if Moreira can salvage a good grid slot for Sunday’s title showdown.
Moto3™: Almansa flies to top honours on Friday in Valencia
The Spaniard was in great form to head home a Leopard Racing 1-2 in Practice.
Under sunny skies at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, David Almansa (Leopard Racing) was lightning quick on Friday to secure top spot and a pathway to Q2. He set fastest lap after fastest lap to shave almost a second off the old lap record. The Spaniard sported a margin of over three tenths of a second and goes into Saturday as the rider to beat.
As he so often does on a Friday afternoon, the #22 set the pace but kept on getting quicker and quicker with each lap, eventually ending 0.310s clear of teammate Adrian Fernandez. A Leopard Racing 1-2 on the opening day as they headed off Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) who was back in contention in third. Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) finished in fourth and was consistent throughout the session whilst Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) continued to show his Friday form improvements with P5.
Other highlights throughout the order included Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team) in seventh, through to Q2 for the first time and just ahead of Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team). Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power) finished P11 ahead of Casey O’Gorman (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) and Marco Morelli (GRYD – MLav Racing), all making it through.
The 2026 FIM Speedway calendar has been revealed as Polish city Lodz hosts its first FIM Speedway Grand Prix event on August 1, while the FIM Speedway World Cup returns with an exciting new format, culminating in a Final at Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy on August 29.
• Polish club Lodz stages its first-ever Speedway GP event on August 1 as 10-round series confirmed for 2026
• FIM Speedway World Cup to be contested across three different countries, climaxing at Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy on August 29
• Manchester’s National Speedway Stadium set for a second straight Speedway GP double-headeron June 5 and 6
• Torun’s Marian Rose Motoarena returns to the Speedway GP calendar, hosting the final round on September 26
• The knockout-style Qualifying format is retained, with Speedway GP World Championship points on the line in five sprint races
• The sport’s next generation of stars compete in a three-round SGP2 series, with SON2 and youth categories SGP3 and SGP4 returning
• The 2026 FIM Speedway season will be the first under incoming FIM Speedway global promoter Mayfield Sports Events Ltd, with Warner Bros. Discovery to continue as global broadcaster and rights distributor
Richard Coleman, founder of Mayfield Sports Events Ltd, looks forward to an epic season of world-championship action as the Silverstone-based company takes over as FIM Speedway global promoter from Warner Bros. Discovery, who will continue to serve as global broadcaster and rights distributor for the championships.
He said: “This is the start of a very exciting journey for Mayfield Sports Events Ltd, and we have much to look forward to in 2026. I am delighted to welcome Lodz on to the Speedway GP calendar for the first time, and there’s no doubt all eyes will be on Warsaw for what should be an unforgettable PZM FIM Speedway World Cup Final.
“We also look forward to seeing the FIM SWC contested over a slightly different format, with the three events staged across three different countries. I am sure the German fans in Landshut and Latvian supporters in Riga will be keen to get behind their teams, who will be at home for the two Semi-Finals, and we are expecting an incredible atmosphere, as ever, in Warsaw.
“Along with Lodz joining the Speedway GP calendar, we have another Manchester double-header, Torun returning to the Speedway GP calendar, and more FIM Speedway action in Landshut, Prague, Wroclaw, Malilla, Riga and Vojens.
“My team and I look forward to meeting our fans and stakeholders from around the world in the coming weeks and months as we work with our partners at the FIM to deliver a fan-focused, stable and sustainable future for FIM Speedway.”
FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) director Armando Castagna commented: “I’m very pleased to welcome Lodz on to the Speedway GP calendar. I’m sure fans will be excited to visit the Moto Arena Lodz, perhaps for the first time, along with all of our returning venues.
“We also look forward to taking the FIM Speedway World Cup to three different countries. With both Semi-Finals and the Final all featuring the host nation, I’m sure there will be plenty of interest in all three events.
“On behalf of the FIM, I welcome our new global promoter Mayfield Sports Events Ltd. We are looking forward to working with Richard Coleman and his team to develop the FIM Speedway World Championships in the coming years.”
FIM Speedway Race Director Phil Morris added: “The 2025 season saw us crown six individual and team world champions from five different countries, and one of the most exciting Speedway GP World Championship battles in the series’ 30-year history.
“Poland’s Bartosz Zmarzlik beat Australia’s Brady Kurtz to the gold medal by just one point, and we are expecting another great series in 2026. I look forward to working with all of our riders from around the world and our new FIM Speedway global promoter Mayfield Sports Events Ltd to deliver a superb season for our fans at trackside and watching around the world.”
Alex Marquez spend Friday afternoon working with harder tires than the three riders who finished in front of him in the final session, and did his time attack with a hard front Michelin slick that had four laps on it. The three riders in front of him – Pedro Acosta, Marco Bezzecchi and Franco Morbidelli – all threw on new soft slicks front and rear for their final runs, and Morbidelli actually did two runs with new soft slicks on both ends.
The factory KTMs flew in a straight line, with Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta tied at the top of the speed chart at 211.452 mph (340.3 kph).
Two-time World Champion Francesco Bagnaia’s up-and-down season continued on Friday in Valencia. Bagnaia’s bike was tied with two other Ducatis on top speed – a full 6.2 mph (10 kph) slower than the factory KTMs – and finished the day 14th. The Ducatis of Bagnaia, Morbidelli and Fermin Aldeguer were the three slowest bikes through the speed trap, all clocked at 205.363 mph (330.5 kph) – with the exception of the still-in-development Yamaha V-4 entered for test rider Augusto Fernandez.
Factory Yamaha riders Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins were 10th and 17th in the final practice session, while Prima Pramac Yamaha’s Jack Miller, who was fastest in the first practice session, finished sixth. Miller has been quick in the past at Valencia, and he looked comfortable, doing his time attack on a hard front tire with five laps on it at the start of the run.
Factory Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi was quickest through the first two sectors, while Acosta topped the final two sectors. Bezzecchi stayed on the soft rear tire the entire afternoon and finished second. Trackhouse Racing Aprilia’s Ai Ogura tried the medium rear in the afternoon but quickly switched back to the soft rear tire and ended up fifth.
It was a good afternoon in Moto3 for Honda, which has had a difficult season in the minor class. Honda has won only one of the 21 races so far, has frequently been locked out of the podium spots, and KTM ripped off 19 wins in a row before Honda Team Asia’s Taiyo Furusato won in Malaysia. But on Friday, Leopard Racing’s Honda-mounted David Almansa and Adrian Fernandez were a solid 1-2 in practice, with Almansa setting a new lap record and finishing 0.489 seconds clear of third-placed Valentin Perrone, who was the closest KTM-mounted rider.
KTM factory rider Pedro Acosta topped MotoGP practice on Friday afternoon at Circuit de Valencia Ricardo Tormo. Aprilia Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Franco Morbidelli, BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP’s Alex Marquez and Trackhouse MotoGP Team’s Ai Ogura completed the top five.
MotoGP Practice Friday Classification
CFMOTO Inde Aspar’s Daniel Holgado led Moto2 practice Friday afternoon at the Circuit de Valencia with a best lap of 1:32.408. ELF Marc VDS Racing Team’s Jake Dixon, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Daniel Muñoz, BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2’s Izan Guevara and KLINT Forward Factory Team’s Alex Escrig completed the top five.
Moto2 Practice Friday Classification
Trackhouse MotoGP’s Ai Ogura led MotoGP FP2 at Circuit de Valencia on Saturday. Ducati Lenovo’s Francesco Bagnaia, Aprilia Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing’s Franco Morbidelli, and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pedro Acosta completed the top five.
MotoGP FP2 Classification
Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Daniel Muñoz led Moto2 FP2 at Circuit de Valencia on Saturday morning. BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2’s Izan Guevara, ITALJET Gresini Moto2’s Albert Arenas, LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP’s Manuel Gonzalez,and Red Bull KTM Ajo Collin Veijer completed the top five.
Moto2 FP2 Classification
Leopard Racing’s David Almansa topped Moto3 FP2 at Circuit de Valencia on Saturday.
Leopard Racing teammate Adrian Fernandez was second, while SIC58 Squadra Corse’s Luca Lunetta, CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team’s Maximo Quiles and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brian Uriarte filled out the top five.
Moto3 FP2 Classification
More from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Excellent start for Aprilia Racing in Valencia.
The first day of practice on the Ricardo Tormo Circuit ended on a positive note for Aprilia Racing. Marco Bezzecchi kicked off his Friday with the eighteenth-best time in FP1. In the afternoon practice session, the Italian rider took a decisive step forward, finishing the session with an outstanding second place, in spite of a crash on turn 4 in the early stages of the session. This result puts him straight through to Q2.
On his return after the injury suffered in Motegi, Jorge Martín underwent a medical exam on Thursday by the FIM Grand Prix World Championship Medical Team and was declared fit to race. For him, Friday was a day of adapting after more than a month and a half of downtime. He finished the practice session twenty-second, which means that he’ll need to go through Q1 on Saturday.
Also worth a mention is the performance by Trackhouse MotoGP Team’s Ai Ogura, who finished the practice session fifth, thereby earning the right to go straight through to Q2 along with Bezzecchi.
Marco Bezzecchi: “It was a great day because we improved significantly between the morning and the afternoon. The team did an outstanding job. I was able to do the second time attack with the bike I had crashed on and I’d like to thank them for that. I made a small mistake on turn 4 and crashed because I released the brake too soon.”
Jorge Martin: “I feel much better than I thought I would. On one hand, that’s positive because it means that I have recovered – not one hundred percent, obviously – but still good in such a short amount of time. On the other hand, however, I feel like I want to do more. I just focused on turning laps and finding my pace and the sensations.”
Paolo Bonora: “We are extremely happy because, with Marco, we confirmed the good feeling on this track and with the RS-GP25, as the second place in Q2 demonstrates. We are also pleased with Jorge’s return. The goal with him is obviously to build back confidence with the bike in view of 2026. We already demonstrated that we have a good setup this morning, also with Ogura. We need to continue working in order to be ready for qualifying and the sprint race on Saturday.”
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More from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Racing Team:
In Valencia from Q2.
6 th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’30.884s)
11th – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (1’31.113s)
4th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’29.473s) Q2
8th – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (1’29.597s) Q2
Alex Marquez: “It was a Friday in which we started already some work in preparation for Tuesday’s test. It’s clear that this activity took some time away from the weekend’s work, but we still achieved our goal. This year, we secured 21 direct seeds to Q2 and this surely is something I’m proud of. For tomorrow, it’s true that Pedro and Bezzecchi are fast, but even those behind have gotten closer compared to Portugal.”
Fermin Aldeguer: “It wasn’t an easy track today, especially in the afternoon. The morning crash took away a bit of feeling and we didn’t manage to return to the track in FP1. We still worked well and in the end we secured our spot in Q2, which was the goal. There’s surely plenty of margin to do better tomorrow, even though there’s a lot of difference in terms of performance between compounds, and we’ll need to be accurate.”
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More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Jack Miller Leads the Charge for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP with a Strong P6 on Friday in Valencia.
Jack Miller was one of the standout performers on the opening day of the Valencia GP, the 22nd and final round of the MotoGP World Championship. At the end of the afternoon Practice session, the Australian rider of Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP — already fastest in the morning‘s FP1 — secured an excellent sixth place, earning direct access to tomorrow‘s Q2 at 10:50 local time. That session will determine the grid for both the afternoon Sprint at 15:00 and Sunday‘s Grand Prix, which starts at 14:00 and will close the season. A more difficult Friday, instead, for Miguel Oliveira, who struggled with rear grip and ended the day 21st.
Jack Miller has often been very fast at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia where MotoGP returns after last year‘s forced cancellation due to flooding, and which traditionally closes the MotoGP season. The Australian has stood on the Valencia podium four times in his career, including one win, and two years ago he led the race for a long stretch before crashing out. So, his intense and competitive Friday comes as no surprise: in the morning, the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP rider topped the timesheets, then confirmed both his own strong form and that of the Yamaha YZR-M1 in the afternoon Practice, finishing sixth (1’29″556) and locking in direct Q2 access for tomorrow morning.
It was a complicated Friday for Miguel Oliveira, who — just as last week in Portimao — continued to struggle with rear-end grip, a limitation preventing him from exploiting the full potential of his bike. In the end, the Portuguese rider had to settle for 21st place, which means he will have to fight his way through Q1 tomorrow.
Valencia GP schedule:
Saturday: 10.10 Free Practice 2; 10.50 Qualifying; 15.00 Sprint Race (13 laps – 52,065 km)
Sunday: 9.40 Warm-up; 14.00 Race (27 laps – 108,14)
GINO BORSOI – Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha:
“I‘d say it was a very good Friday, especially for Miller, who was already very strong this morning — even though he used a new tire to set his time — and then performed extremely well again in Practice. Well done to him and his team, they worked really well. I‘m sorry for Oliveira: once again we haven‘t been able to find a good balance between him and the bike. Everyone is working very hard, but we still haven‘t found the right setup. Hopefully we can discover something between today and tomorrow that allows him to improve.”
Jack Miller: “I felt great from the start. I love this place and the bike is working very well. This isn‘t a crazy-fast circuit — it‘s actually quite tight for MotoGP bikes, almost like a go-kart track — and I feel we can do a good job this weekend. We can manage the pace and use the tyres well. I feel competitive, definitely more competitive than I‘ve been in recent weeks in terms of staying with the other bikes and following them.”
Miguel Oliveira: “It was a bad day, I have to admit. I wasn‘t expecting to have such low rear grip. I‘ve been complaining about this since Portimao: I don‘t have the edge grip to make the bike turn, and I feel like I‘m taking a lot of risks on the front end. I can‘t use the bike‘s full potential to exit the corners. I‘m spinning too much and I can‘t pick the bike up and drive out. So yes, it‘s a very frustrating day, because I feel comfortable when I‘m riding — but the bike just isn‘t performing.”
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC:
Mir straight to final Q2 of 2025 in Valencia.
An intense final Friday of 2025 action for the Honda HRC Castrol team, Joan Mir leading the Honda charge in ninth as Luca Marini was edged out of the top ten by barely two tenths – a single second splitting 20 riders.
Returning to Valencia for the first time since 2023, both Joan Mir and Luca Marini were keen to quickly get back up to speed and understand the condition of the circuit. With stable weather conditions throughout the day, both Honda HRC Castrol riders were able to make improvements over the course of running as their preparations for the final round of year continued at pace.
Working to understand the different condition of the circuit on his return to Valencia, Mir put together an overall positive Friday. Encountering very different conditions to 2023 the #36 had to work hard for his lap times today but it will no doubt pay off with a position on the front four rows of the grid already guaranteed. Ninth when the day came to a close, Joan Mir would once again lead the Honda charge and secure his spot in Q2.
Marini had a somewhat more challenging day, managing a best time of 1’29.896 for 16th overall – but only 0.2s shy of the top ten. Also struggling to get the most out of the Honda RC213V in the low-grip conditions, the Italian is hoping for improvements on Saturday. Securing a good position on the grid will be vital, overtaking in Valencia often a tricky affair.
Joan Mir: “A happy day but one that was more difficult than I was expecting. The conditions didn’t help, here in Valencia the grip has reduced a lot compared to what I remember. Even without things going their best we are in Q2 which is a really positive sign. I was using the hard front which shows the confidence I have in the bike, it’s very good for braking but we need to find something more in the longer corners. This is where we need to find those three tenths we are missing and make another step!”
Luca Marini: “The grip has changed a lot compared to two years ago, so how our bike is behaving here is really different. In the past it was a circuit where Honda was really strong and now we are struggling a little more. I was really expecting more, and we need to work to improve it overnight, there’s still the possibility to do something but it’s not like we thought it would be. It was warmer than we were expecting which is always nice because sometimes here in Valencia it can get really, really cold.”
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Quartararo in Line-Up for Valencia GP Q2, Rins to Tackle Q1.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team had a mixed Grand Prix of the Valencian Community Friday. Despite a setback mid-way through today’s Practice, Fabio Quartararo managed to secure P10 and a direct entry into Q2. Álex Rins wrapped up the afternoon session in P17, putting him on the entry list for tomorrow’s Q1.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins had to push hard on the Friday at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. The Practice times at the short track were all very close together, promising an exciting Grand Prix of the Valencian Community race weekend. Quartararo ended the Practice session in 10th and will take part in tomorrow’s Q2, while Rins placed 17th, which puts him on the entry list for tomorrow’s Q1.
Quartararo completed this morning’s Free Practice 1 in 13th place. He made progress in the early stages of the afternoon Practice session and was featuring inside the top 10 when at the midway stage he encountered a sudden technical problem. The Frenchman was quick to return to the box though. As he headed back out on track, he had to push to regain a direct Q2-entry, but he was unfazed. His best time of 1’29.673s, set on lap 18/23, got the job done. It earned him 10th place in the classifications, 0.433s from the top.
Rins ended FP1 in 15th place with a 1’31.301s, but he felt that he would be able to make a step forward at the Ricardo Tormo track in the Practice. The Spaniard worked diligently in the afternoon session and dropped under the 1’30s mark when he set a 1’29.999s on his 22nd and final lap. However, it was not enough to contend for the top 10. It put him in 17th place in the classifications, 0.759s from first.
The teammates will be back in action for FP2, held tomorrow from 10:10-10:40 (GMT+1). The qualifying sessions will follow from 10:50-11:30, and the 13-lap Sprint will start at 15:00.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
“We had a bit of a complicated start. Fabio made good progress between the morning session and the afternoon Practice. He was showing good pace, but a sudden technical error cost him time and spoiled his plans for the Practice. However, Fabio showed his adaptability and still got the job done. In the end, Álex was not fast enough in the time attacks. The team will help him prepare for tomorrow’s Q1 session, because we expect that it will be a tough battle for those top two spots. Overall, the times of the entire MotoGP field are close together: with 19 riders within 1s it promises to be an entertaining final showdown for the fans.”
Fabio Quartararo: “I had an issue with leaking fuel in the Practice. Other than that, I was struggling to find a good feeling with the front. Hopefully tomorrow we can make a step, also on one-lap speed, so I’ll feel a bit more comfortable. It looks like our base at the last two races doesn’t translate well here, but we are trying to figure out what we can do.”
Alex Rins: “Our weekend started in the Practice – let’s say it like that – because in FP1 I really struggled with the setting of the bike. We were using a ‘normal’ set-up in the morning, but I couldn’t turn well and was going wide. So, we did a drastic set-up change for the Practice, and I noticed a big positive change. We have given it everything we have since the first session, but we still need to polish some small things to be a bit more towards the front.”
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC:
Aleix Espargaro shows his speed with 13th on Friday in Valencia.
The Honda HRC Test Team immediately made their hard work known at the final round of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship season. A fiercely competitive Aleix Espargaro converted a stunning third place in FP1 to a 13th place in the afternoon, finishing ahead of Bagnaia on the factory Ducati.
Aleix Espargaro: “We’ve had a really good start today, the bike I am riding has improved a lot since the start of the year and I have also been riding a lot more, so everything is coming together. There is more potential there from the bike, I was pushing but that final bit – I have margin, and we can go faster. There’s more stability, speed, everything has improved over the course of the year. We need to make the most of Qualifying because overtaking here is very hard.”
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More from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
The Ducati Lenovo Team prepares for Q1 after opening day at Valencia: Bagnaia fourteenth in Practice, Bulega twenty-fourth.
The Ducati Lenovo Team tackled the final Friday of the 2025 MotoGP season at Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Francesco Bagnaia finished a hard-fought Practice session in fourteenth place, while Nicolò Bulega was twenty-fourth at the flag.
Bagnaia, twenty-first in Free Practice, climbed to the top of the timesheets in the early minutes. In the final stages of the session, however, Pecco was unable to make his way back into the top ten and was eventually fourteenth, less than six tenths from first place. Bulega, in his second-ever MotoGP event, continued his adaptation to the Desmosedici GP as he wrapped up the afternoon in twenty-fourth position.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will resume action tomorrow morning at 10:10 local time (GMT +1) for Free Practice 2, followed by Q1 at 10:50 and Q2 at 11:15. The twenty-second Sprint of the season will be contested over 13 laps from 15:00.
Francesco Bagnaia: “Today we unfortunately didn’t work in the right direction. There was a slight improvement between the two sessions and I hope that – as the grip increases – we’ll be able to make a more significant step forward. We need to improve the bike behaviour under braking and in the turning phase. Looking at the data, it’s clear that we’re missing speed on corner entry and when opening the throttle, which costs me quite a bit of time. The lack of feeling, in this sense, doesn’t help me give clear indications, and I knew this was a track where we could struggle. In any case, we keep working to find a solution.”
Nicolò Bulega: “Riding at this track with a MotoGP bike is not simple and I’m still struggling in some areas of the circuit. This is a very technical track with very interconnected corners: if you don’t have full confidence with the front-end, it becomes challenging to make the bike turn. I can’t exploit the tyres as much as I’d like, especially the soft ones, as I end up with the same lap-times as with the other compounds. When that happens, it means you still haven’t found the limit. In any case, it was overall a positive day and we’ll try to make a step forward tomorrow.”
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More from a press release issued by CASTROL Honda LCR:
CASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco finishes Friday in 15th place at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia.
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More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3:
After two years, MotoGP™ finally roared again at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, with Friday’s action at the Grand Prix of Valencia giving the whistle for the last game of the season. Red Bull KTM Tech3 was honoured to finally welcome back Maverick Viñales returning to competing after missing out the last three rounds. The Spaniard closed his first day back in the office in 18th, and teammate Enea Bastianini followed in 19th, as both Tech3 riders will face Q1 on the final qualifying day of 2025.
Red Bull KTM Tech3’s full line-up was then ready to go on Friday morning, with both Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales hitting the track for FP1 with a slightly delayed start following a red-flagged Moto2™ FP1. Both got their first taste of the RC16 on the Valencian layout, as we saw Bastianini close the opening session 0.944 seconds off the top, yet in 17th, and Viñales’ pace saw Top Gun end just 1 second from early pace setter, Jack Miller. The main class hit back the track at 15:00 sharp in the afternoon for the final Practice of the season, and the time attacks promised sparklings, with 21 riders less than one second of each other, with just under 20 minutes left on the clock. Pedro Acosta was at the top with a 1’29.790, Viñales’ best in 1’30.623 had him in P17 before the final time attacks, and teammate Bastianini was not far behind with a 1’30.706, in 20th. As all riders began pushing to make the final top 10 cut of the year, we saw Bastianini sneak into the top 10 for a few seconds with a first attack in 1’30.237, but the others followed, and he dropped to 13th. He continued to push, but somehow he could not put it all together to improve his lap time, and we saw him finish the session in 19th. Viñales could improve to a 1’30.147, but that was just 0.474 seconds short of Q2! The Spaniard will face Q1 on Saturday, alongside his teammate, in the final qualifying session of 2025, starting at 10:50 local time, shortly after FP2. Then, lights of the Tissot Sprint will go out at 15:00 local time (UTC+1), for 13 laps.
Maverick Viñales: “I had not been on that bike for a few weeks, so of course it was tough today, but the goal at the moment is to feel comfortable again on the bike, before being able to push. I am still missing some flexibility, so we just need to make a few twists on my position, and then it will be good! It has been positive to see that my shoulder has improved a lot, we are no longer feeling pain, which is good. The bike is good otherwise, it is super fast, and we just have work to catch up on my side, since I have not been able to push since my injury! Good feeling heading to Saturday!”
Enea Bastianini: “Similar story to usual of course, but the start of the day was not so bad to be honest. We struggled again as soon as we switched tires, which is an ongoing issue we are trying to solve from our end. Also, the feeling when I put the soft rear changed, I could not, once again, turn the bike like I wanted, the rear was pushing the front a lot, and I am really waiting for Tuesday’s test, because it is a very important issue we need to address. Let’s continue working, and see if we can make some improvements for tomorrow.”
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More from a press release issued by Yamaha Factory Racing Team:
Augusto Fernández Begins Final 2025 Wild-Card Weekend on Valencia GP Friday.
The Yamaha Factory Racing Team continued their V4-powered prototype testing programme at the Grand Prix of the Valencian Community today. Wild-card entry Augusto Fernández resumed his mission of gathering useful data to boost bike development. He finished the Friday Practice session in 20th place.
The Yamaha Factory Racing Team started their V4-powered prototype testing plan for the Grand Prix of the Valencian Community weekend. Augusto Fernández’s goal is again to gather data to aid bike development. He wrapped up today’s Practice in 20th place, putting him on the entry list for tomorrow’s Q1.
Fernández was satisfied with the FP1 proceedings, which he finished in 10th place with an encouraging 1’31.035s. The Spanish rider was keen to keep the positive trend going in the 1-hour Practice session in the afternoon, but an early crash lost him a bit of time. The Yamaha Factory Racing Team still managed to make steps in accordance with today’s V4-powered prototype testing plan as Fernández completed 25 laps in total. A 1’30.267s, set on lap 19, had him finish in 20th place in the Practice results, 1.027s from first.
The Yamaha Factory Racing Team will continue their testing programme during the Saturday MotoGP sessions: FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40 local track time (GMT+1), followed by the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, and the 13-lap Sprint, which starts at 15:00.
Augusto Fernandez: “Today was good, there weren’t any negatives. I noticed a slight improvement. I had a small crash in the Practice, but overall we worked well today. FP1 was okay, and I was riding on the pace from the start, so I could feel everything better than in Sepang. We are noticing consistency in our findings, which is positive as well. Valencia and Sepang are quite different, but the feelings are similar, which is good. Tomorrow, we want to see if we can make a step, especially with the front of the bike, and we’ll try to find a good base.”
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More from a press release issued by IDEMITSU Honda LCR:
IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Somkiat Chantra finished 23rd on Friday at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia.
Acosta leads Bezzecchi by 0.053s on a competitive Friday in Valencia.
KTM lead Aprilia on the opening day of action as half a second covers the top 14 heading into Saturday’s action.
The rider to beat on MotoGP’s final Friday of the season? Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). The KTM star set a 1:29.240 to beat Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) by just 0.053s at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, as Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) earned P3 in what was a very competitive opening day of action at the Motul Grand Prix of the Valencian Community.
Bezzecchi on top early, but then Turn 4 bites
It was Bezzecchi who led the way for the majority of the opening half an hour, but the Italian didn’t have it all his own way. A crash occurred for the Aprilia star at Turn 4 while he was shadowing Acosta, with fellow Aprilia rider Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) hitting the deck at Turn 3 just before we entered the final half an hour of Practice.
At the same time, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Fabio Di Giannantonio and Morbidelli climbed to P1 and P2, before Acosta stepped up his pace to go two tenths clear of the fluorescent yellow Ducati duo with a 1:29.790, and on his next lap, the sophomore set the exact same time. Consistency.
Problems for Quartararo’s M1
Elsewhere, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) encountered an issue with his YZR-M1 on the front straight as we dipped into the closing 30 minutes, which looked like it signalled the end to the session for the Frenchman’s number one machine.
Acosta moves the goalposts in Q2 chase
Heading into the final 15 minutes, Acosta’s advantage grew to over half a second after setting a 1:29.240, with Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) jumping up to P2 to act as the #37’s closest challenger. Morbidelli changed that with under 12 minutes left; however, the Italian was still over 0.5s away from Acosta’s benchmark.
The gap then closed when Alex Marquez, Di Giannantonio and Quartararo wriggled their way above Morbidelli, with Acosta’s lead now three and a half tenths with seven minutes left on the clock. It was then down to 0.236s as Bezzecchi landed his session best lap, and on his next push, the Italian went 0.053s away from Acosta.
Miller was back into the top three as well now, as KTM led Aprilia, Yamaha and Ducati with three minutes left, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) still outside the top 10. Things then got worse for Pecco when Ogura shot from P15 to P3, as plenty of improvements were chalked in ahead of the chequered flag.
There weren’t many more after that though. Bagnaia couldn’t find time and found himself outside the top 10, with Acosta holding onto P1 thanks to that earlier time.
Your Friday top 10 in Valencia
Alex Marquez ended the day in P4 behind the aforementioned top three, with rookie Ogura completing the top five. Miller was the top Yamaha on Day 1 in P6, Di Giannantonio ended the final Friday of 2025 in P7, with Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and Quartararo earning automatic Q2 honours.
Coming up: Tissot Sprint Saturday in Valencia
Half a second splits the top 14, which consists of Acosta, 14th place Bagnaia, and everyone sandwiched between the two, with 0.9s covering the top 19. It’s a tight affair in Valencia, which sets us up nicely for qualifying and Tissot Sprint Saturday in Valencia.
Results HERE as we now go full steam ahead into Saturday at the season finale.
Moto2™: Moreira Q1-bound in Valencia as Holgado sets the pace
The Championship leader finishes P19 on Friday, with title rival Gonzalez 10th quickest at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
An early slice of drama into the Moto2 title deciding weekend, then. Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) will be battling it out in Q1 on Saturday afternoon at the Grand Prix of Valencia after finishing Friday’s Practice session in P19, while title rival Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) sails into Q2 with a P10 result on Day 1. Meanwhile, despite a late tumble, Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) led the way with a 1:32.408, with Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Daniel Muñoz (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the top three.
Moments after going fastest, Holgado was forced to lay his Triumph-Kalex machine down in the gravel at Turn 2 after a mistake under brakes, which meant both CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team riders crashed in Practice after David Alonso’s earlier off.
Holgado held the lead heading into the final three minutes, but Moreira found himself in P17. On his penultimate lap, the Brazilian couldn’t find an improvement, so it all came down to the Championship leader’s final lap of the session. And again, a time good enough for Q2 didn’t come. A Friday shock in the Moto2 title race, with Moreira in Q1 for the first time since the Czech GP.
Izan Guevara (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) – after a heavy crash on the exit of Turn 4 in FP1 – and the impressive Alex Escrig (KLINT Forward Factory Team) rounded out the fastest five on Day 1, as attention now turns to Q1 on Saturday afternoon.
Joining Moreira in the first part of qualifying are the likes of 2025 Grand Prix winners Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) and Alonso, and with the times so tight on Day 1, the rider at the top of the standings summit has an uphill climb heading into the weekend.
Tune into Moto2 qualifying at 13:40 local time to see if Moreira can salvage a good grid slot for Sunday’s title showdown.
Moto3™: Almansa flies to top honours on Friday in Valencia
The Spaniard was in great form to head home a Leopard Racing 1-2 in Practice.
Under sunny skies at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, David Almansa (Leopard Racing) was lightning quick on Friday to secure top spot and a pathway to Q2. He set fastest lap after fastest lap to shave almost a second off the old lap record. The Spaniard sported a margin of over three tenths of a second and goes into Saturday as the rider to beat.
As he so often does on a Friday afternoon, the #22 set the pace but kept on getting quicker and quicker with each lap, eventually ending 0.310s clear of teammate Adrian Fernandez. A Leopard Racing 1-2 on the opening day as they headed off Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) who was back in contention in third. Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) finished in fourth and was consistent throughout the session whilst Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) continued to show his Friday form improvements with P5.
Other highlights throughout the order included Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team) in seventh, through to Q2 for the first time and just ahead of Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team). Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power) finished P11 ahead of Casey O’Gorman (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) and Marco Morelli (GRYD – MLav Racing), all making it through.
The 2026 FIM Speedway calendar has been revealed as Polish city Lodz hosts its first FIM Speedway Grand Prix event on August 1, while the FIM Speedway World Cup returns with an exciting new format, culminating in a Final at Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy on August 29.
• Polish club Lodz stages its first-ever Speedway GP event on August 1 as 10-round series confirmed for 2026
• FIM Speedway World Cup to be contested across three different countries, climaxing at Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy on August 29
• Manchester’s National Speedway Stadium set for a second straight Speedway GP double-headeron June 5 and 6
• Torun’s Marian Rose Motoarena returns to the Speedway GP calendar, hosting the final round on September 26
• The knockout-style Qualifying format is retained, with Speedway GP World Championship points on the line in five sprint races
• The sport’s next generation of stars compete in a three-round SGP2 series, with SON2 and youth categories SGP3 and SGP4 returning
• The 2026 FIM Speedway season will be the first under incoming FIM Speedway global promoter Mayfield Sports Events Ltd, with Warner Bros. Discovery to continue as global broadcaster and rights distributor
Richard Coleman, founder of Mayfield Sports Events Ltd, looks forward to an epic season of world-championship action as the Silverstone-based company takes over as FIM Speedway global promoter from Warner Bros. Discovery, who will continue to serve as global broadcaster and rights distributor for the championships.
He said: “This is the start of a very exciting journey for Mayfield Sports Events Ltd, and we have much to look forward to in 2026. I am delighted to welcome Lodz on to the Speedway GP calendar for the first time, and there’s no doubt all eyes will be on Warsaw for what should be an unforgettable PZM FIM Speedway World Cup Final.
“We also look forward to seeing the FIM SWC contested over a slightly different format, with the three events staged across three different countries. I am sure the German fans in Landshut and Latvian supporters in Riga will be keen to get behind their teams, who will be at home for the two Semi-Finals, and we are expecting an incredible atmosphere, as ever, in Warsaw.
“Along with Lodz joining the Speedway GP calendar, we have another Manchester double-header, Torun returning to the Speedway GP calendar, and more FIM Speedway action in Landshut, Prague, Wroclaw, Malilla, Riga and Vojens.
“My team and I look forward to meeting our fans and stakeholders from around the world in the coming weeks and months as we work with our partners at the FIM to deliver a fan-focused, stable and sustainable future for FIM Speedway.”
FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) director Armando Castagna commented: “I’m very pleased to welcome Lodz on to the Speedway GP calendar. I’m sure fans will be excited to visit the Moto Arena Lodz, perhaps for the first time, along with all of our returning venues.
“We also look forward to taking the FIM Speedway World Cup to three different countries. With both Semi-Finals and the Final all featuring the host nation, I’m sure there will be plenty of interest in all three events.
“On behalf of the FIM, I welcome our new global promoter Mayfield Sports Events Ltd. We are looking forward to working with Richard Coleman and his team to develop the FIM Speedway World Championships in the coming years.”
FIM Speedway Race Director Phil Morris added: “The 2025 season saw us crown six individual and team world champions from five different countries, and one of the most exciting Speedway GP World Championship battles in the series’ 30-year history.
“Poland’s Bartosz Zmarzlik beat Australia’s Brady Kurtz to the gold medal by just one point, and we are expecting another great series in 2026. I look forward to working with all of our riders from around the world and our new FIM Speedway global promoter Mayfield Sports Events Ltd to deliver a superb season for our fans at trackside and watching around the world.”
Alex Marquez spend Friday afternoon working with harder tires than the three riders who finished in front of him in the final session, and did his time attack with a hard front Michelin slick that had four laps on it. The three riders in front of him – Pedro Acosta, Marco Bezzecchi and Franco Morbidelli – all threw on new soft slicks front and rear for their final runs, and Morbidelli actually did two runs with new soft slicks on both ends.
The factory KTMs flew in a straight line, with Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta tied at the top of the speed chart at 211.452 mph (340.3 kph).
Two-time World Champion Francesco Bagnaia’s up-and-down season continued on Friday in Valencia. Bagnaia’s bike was tied with two other Ducatis on top speed – a full 6.2 mph (10 kph) slower than the factory KTMs – and finished the day 14th. The Ducatis of Bagnaia, Morbidelli and Fermin Aldeguer were the three slowest bikes through the speed trap, all clocked at 205.363 mph (330.5 kph) – with the exception of the still-in-development Yamaha V-4 entered for test rider Augusto Fernandez.
Factory Yamaha riders Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins were 10th and 17th in the final practice session, while Prima Pramac Yamaha’s Jack Miller, who was fastest in the first practice session, finished sixth. Miller has been quick in the past at Valencia, and he looked comfortable, doing his time attack on a hard front tire with five laps on it at the start of the run.
Factory Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi was quickest through the first two sectors, while Acosta topped the final two sectors. Bezzecchi stayed on the soft rear tire the entire afternoon and finished second. Trackhouse Racing Aprilia’s Ai Ogura tried the medium rear in the afternoon but quickly switched back to the soft rear tire and ended up fifth.
It was a good afternoon in Moto3 for Honda, which has had a difficult season in the minor class. Honda has won only one of the 21 races so far, has frequently been locked out of the podium spots, and KTM ripped off 19 wins in a row before Honda Team Asia’s Taiyo Furusato won in Malaysia. But on Friday, Leopard Racing’s Honda-mounted David Almansa and Adrian Fernandez were a solid 1-2 in practice, with Almansa setting a new lap record and finishing 0.489 seconds clear of third-placed Valentin Perrone, who was the closest KTM-mounted rider.
KTM factory rider Pedro Acosta topped MotoGP practice on Friday afternoon at Circuit de Valencia Ricardo Tormo. Aprilia Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Franco Morbidelli, BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP’s Alex Marquez and Trackhouse MotoGP Team’s Ai Ogura completed the top five.
MotoGP Practice Friday Classification
CFMOTO Inde Aspar’s Daniel Holgado led Moto2 practice Friday afternoon at the Circuit de Valencia with a best lap of 1:32.408. ELF Marc VDS Racing Team’s Jake Dixon, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Daniel Muñoz, BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2’s Izan Guevara and KLINT Forward Factory Team’s Alex Escrig completed the top five.
Moto2 Practice Friday Classification
