Live coverage from the opening day of practice at the 2026 Brazilian MotoGP at Goiania as MotoGP makes its return to Brazil.
FP1 saw almost all of the running completed on wet tyres. It had been delayed by an hour due to the severity of the track conditions after overnight rain stretched into this morning, and Jack Miller was the only rider to set a competitive time on slicks, going second-fastest on the final of his 16 laps on a set of medium-compound dry tyres.
Pedro Acosta finished the morning fastest on wets, while Thailand winner Marco Bezzecchi was third and reigning champion Marc Marquez was fourth.
There were no crashes in FP1, but several riders - including both Bezzecchi and Acosta, as well as Joan Mir and Toprak Razgatlioglu - had off-track excursions during the extended one-hour FP1.
None of the current riders were on the MotoGP grid when the championship last visited Brazil in 2004; the oldest rider on the 2026 grid, Johann Zarco, was only 13 when the final Rio race was held 22 years ago.
The Autodromo Internacional de Goiania has undergone a raft of upgrades to make it ready for the top level of motorcycle racing this weekend, but the layout is essentially the same as it was a year ago when three current MotoGP riders took part in a promotional event for the race that included riding laps of the circuit on production bikes.
Those riders were Luca Marini, Diogo Moreira, and Franco Morbidelli, although a handful of laps on a production bike 12 months ago is unlikely to translate into much of a meaningful advantage by the end of this first weekend of MotoGP action at Goiania since 1989.
None of those three riders enter the second round of the season after especially auspicious openers in Thailand three weeks ago, either. Morbidelli was the third-best Ducati in the grand prix on Sunday but only eighth, Marini was only 10th, and Moreira finished his debut MotoGP race 13th and almost 25 seconds off the win.
The riders in-form coming to Brazil are most significantly Pedro Acosta and Marco Bezzecchi. Acosta leads the championship by seven points over Bezzecchi, and the Italian was dominant in his run to victory on Sunday in Thailand.
Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez is renowned for his prowess on new circuits, and was the victor the last time MotoGP visited a track for the first time when he won at Balaton Park last summer. The harder construction rear tyre that was thought to have contributed to Ducati's relative lack of competitiveness in Thailand is also present in Brazil this weekend, which might work against Marquez, but perhaps even more so for Francesco Bagnaia who was only ninth over the line in Buriram despite ending the preseason in a positive mood.
Practice is due to start this afternoon at 16:00 local time.
Marc Marquez has given his verdict on the Goiania track, admitting that he cannot let his own preferences regarding his riding style cloud his judgement on the new addition to the MotoGP calendar.
Full story here.
Johann Zarco has explained how choosing slick tyres at the end of FP1 in Brazil today helped him to set the fastest time in Practice a few hours later.
The Frenchman also had compliments for the track layout in Goiania, as well as for some of his rivals.
Full story here.
Pablo Nieto has heaped praise on Fermin Aldeguer today in Goiania amid rumours linking the Murcian with the VR46 team for next season.
Aldeguer finished eighth in Practice this afternoon on what was first day on a MotoGP bike since last November after fracturing his femur in the winter. It was a performance described by Nieto as "amazing".
Full story here.
Johann Zarco led a chaotic Practice on Friday afternoon at the Brazilian MotoGP, as Toprak Razgatlioglu stunned in third.
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Practice now officially over in Goiania.
Zarco fastest from Marc Marquez and Razgatlioglu, then Martin and Acosta in the top-five.
Alex Marquez, Quartararo, Aldeguer, Bagnaia, and Ogura complete the top-10.
Actually most riders have stayed in the pits. Only Bagnaia, Ogura, Martin, Bezzecchi, Di Giannantonio, Mir, and Marc Marquez have gone out.
Almost everyone heading out now, but just for practice starts. Some on slicks, some on wets.
Morbidelli has a technical problem earlier on that saw him stop on-track between turns three and four. VR46 team boss Pablo Nieto just told the world feed that Morbidelli did one too many laps on that run and ran out of fuel.
On his second lap, Bezzecchi ran off at turn nine and decided to bail on the run after that - he's back in the pits now and still down in 20th with seven minutes remaining.
First lap of this run for Bezzecchi a 1m26.685s, over 5s off the pace.
Bezzecchi now heading back out on slick tyres. Paolo Bonora just spoke on the world feed broadcast saying he thinks the track won't improve enough for lap time improvements to be found, but Bezzecchi is going to at least give it a try.
As good as that save from Moreira was, this crash is probably going to cost him a spot in the top-10 and mean he goes to Q1 tomorrow.
Moreira proving just how tricky conditions became before everyone headed back to the pits.
Just under 20 minutes remaining of Practice now.
With 25 minutes remaining and conditions seemingly worsening, probably worth giving a top-10 rundown:
Full credit to Fermin Aldeguer in PR. P8 at the moment as the conditions look like they'll freeze the time sheets as they are and still clearly a way away from being 100 per cent with his injured femur.
Bezzecchi back out on-track but it's just an out-in lap for him as the rain continues to intensify. Looks like maybe the conditions have passed their best, certainly Bezzecchi seems to think so.
Razgatlioglu now up to third and 0.308s behind Zarco. Very strong session from the WorldSBK champion.
Quartararo's just popped a personal best in to go seventh and within 0.7s of the top time.
Rain is starting to intensify now. Moreira out on-track but not improving at the moment, and Bezzecchi is still in pit lane and down in 20th.
Razgatlioglu was about to start a lap in Martin's tow but he out-braked himself into turn one and went straight into the run-off.
Morbidelli has had a technical problem between turns three and four. He's on a scooter back to the pits.
A lot of riders back in the pits now and those that are out on-track are mostly not troubling the top positions.
Not looking good for Bezzecchi at the moment, he's 19th and the slowest of the riders to have set a time within the 105 per cent rule. The Thailand winner is currently 2.043s off the pace.