Here is the thing about Friday at Motegi: when the machines are let loose on a new track surface, things get wild very quickly. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) didn't just top the timesheets; he smashed them with a brand new lap record of 1’42.811 on his final flying lap. The 2025 runner-up left it late, but his stunning late effort was enough to deny Austrian GP winner Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) the Friday honors.
It wasn't a straightforward session by any stretch. We barely got underway before a red flag brought things to a temporary halt, caused by a brutal bike blow-up from home-hero Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) right at the exit of pitlane. Once the cleanup crew finished their work, the track turned into a chaotic battleground. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), Acosta, and reigning World Champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) all took turns at the sharp end during a frantic opening 25 minutes.
As the second half of the session ignited, the leaderboard became an absolute blur. Big names like 2025 double winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Championship leader Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) found themselves fighting outside the top ten. Martin briefly punched his way into P2, Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) took a turn at the front with just over 17 minutes remaining, and Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) alongside teammate Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) made shock surges into the top five.
Then came the inevitable late-session carnage. With under four minutes on the clock, yellow flags waved at the final corner after Zarco suffered a crash—thankfully, the rider is OK. Moments later, Moreira hit the deck at Turn 5, though he was also fine. Amidst the chaos, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) carved his way up to sixth, while Enea Bastianini put in a strong run to fifth, locking down two KTMs inside the top five.
When the dust settled, exactly one tenth covered the top three on day one. Acosta had to settle for second, just 0.076s back from Alex Marquez, and a razor-thin 0.024s ahead of Marc Marquez in third. Bezzecchi slotted into fourth, Martin held on for eighth, and Moreira plus Zarco kept their top ten spots despite their late tumbles.
Unfortunately, it was pure heartbreak for home-hero Ogura, who could only manage P15 and now faces the dreaded Q1 tomorrow. Joining him in that scrap are Aldeguer in P11, Bagnaia down in P16, and Marini in P17.
As the session wound down, we even got a classic paddock moment: Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) ran out of fuel, prompting Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) to play taxi, complete with a passenger on the back and a wild stoppie into Turn 11. Brilliant. Now, Sprint Saturday awaits.
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