Marc Marquez, the current leader of the MotoGP championship, topped the timesheets ahead of Marco Bezzecchi in the first free practice session (FP1) at the Qatar Grand Prix, as he moves closer to potentially securing his eighth world title in 2026. Despite recent controversies involving the riders’ negotiations with MotoGP and Yamaha’s shocking withdrawal announcement, the Qatar race weekend started smoothly with a clean 45-minute FP1 session.
Marquez arrived at Lusail with a commanding 44-point lead in the championship and could clinch the title this weekend by outperforming Jorge Martin by 30 points and Bezzecchi by 8 points. Riding his Ducati, Marquez posted the fastest lap in FP1 with a time of 1m52.278s using worn medium tires. He narrowly beat Bezzecchi by 0.110 seconds, who also set his best lap on used medium rubber during his final flying lap.
Fabio Di Giannantonio secured third place on the VR46 Ducati, while Jorge Martin impressed by finishing fifth on the factory Aprilia just 0.734 seconds off the pace after being cleared to race earlier on Friday. The session began with some drama as Honda substitute rider Jake Dixon, returning to MotoGP after competing in World Superbikes and filling in for Joan Mir, experienced a close call at Turn 10 and subsequently crashed at Turn 15 in a confusing incident.
Bezzecchi initially led the session with a 1m54.866s before Marquez took control with just under 20 minutes remaining, eventually improving to his best lap time on well-used tires shortly before the session ended. Bezzecchi finished 0.110 seconds behind Marquez, and Di Giannantonio was 0.413 seconds off the pace.
Pedro Acosta was fourth on the KTM but faced a technical problem toward the end of the session. Martin followed in fifth, and Pecco Bagnaia took sixth on the second factory Ducati. Raul Fernandez, returning from injury, was seventh on the leading Trackhouse Aprilia, with Honda’s Luca Marini, VR46’s Franco Morbidelli, and LCR’s Johann Zarco completing the top ten. Fermin Aldeguer returned from injury to place 12th on the Gresini Ducati, while Dixon ended last in the reduced field of 18 riders riding the Honda. KTM’s Brad Binder suffered a crash early in the session at Turn 7.
Fan Take: This update is a thrilling reminder of the intense battles shaping the 2026 MotoGP season, especially with Marquez poised to make history by securing his eighth title. For racing fans, it underscores a pivotal moment where dominance, rivalry, and unexpected challenges all intertwine, promising high stakes and electrifying competition ahead.
Source: www.crash.net
