Live updates from the qualifying session at the 2026 Aragon MotoGP at MotorLand. Qualifying is due to start at 10:50 local time, with the Sprint scheduled for this afternoon at 15:00.
Marco Bezzecchi enters Saturday at Aragon as the fastest rider in the circuit's history, having broken the outright lap record yesterday with a lap that put him top of Practice by 0.010 seconds ahead of Alex Marquez. Despite his speed, Bezzecchi ended Friday sure that Marc Marquez had more margin to improve.
Marquez himself was 0.038 seconds behind Bezzecchi in third place in Practice, and insisted afterwards that he was in "attack mode".
As for Alex Marquez, he was content with his performance and potential through three-quarters of the lap, but felt he needed to improve in the final sector where he was losing time compared to his brother and the well-turning Aprilias.
Behind Alex Marquez there was a quarter-of-a-second behind him to Fabio Di Giannantonio in fourth, but he, Fermin Aldeguer, and Raul Fernandez all joined the front three in the 1m45s.
Aldeguer, of course, is returning from injury this weekend, but the more impressive performance, perhaps, came from Johann Zarco, who was 10th on the first day of his return and made it into Q2 - the only Honda rider to do so. Zarco spoke afterwards of the intensity of the day, while Lucio Cecchinello praised his rider's performance as an example of what humans can achieve with the right motivation.
The strength of Aprilia at Aragon is something that perhaps makes sense given the bike's potential in long corners, but the speed of the RS-GP at MotorLand this year came as something of a surprise to Jorge Martin, who felt that the track had been one of Aprilia's worst in the past.
On the other side, Aragon had been decent for KTM in previous years, and for Pedro Acosta who was in the top-five in both races in 2025, but the Spaniard felt that a change in the tyre allocation compared to last year had affected his front confidence.
Q2 coming up in around five minutes. Here are your contenders for pole position at Aragon:
Q1 concludes with Bagnaia and Moreira advancing to Q2.
The order behind them is:
Miller, Binder, Mir
Bastianini, Quartararo, Marini
Rins, Espargaro, Razgatlioglu
Savadori
Bagnaia was improving on his second lap, but he lost time in the third split and ran on at the penultimate corner. He's back in the pits.
Mir improves on his first lap of run two but only enough for fifth.
Miller up to third on his latest lap, but his next one might have been affected by yellows for Moreira.
Bagnaia to the top with the first lap of his second run, 0.021s ahead of Moreira, who's crashed at turn two - his Q1 is over but he's still in Q2 for now.
Riders heading out now for their second runs, led by Bagnaia.
Here's your Q1 order after the first runs of Q1:
Bagnaia improves on his second lap, 1m45.959s, but he's beaten this time by Moreira on a 45.841s.
Enough for Q2 spot for now for Bagnaia but Binder is only 0.039s adrift of his P2.
Bagnaia the first over the line in Q1, a 1m46.341s, but he's quickly beaten by Binder and Marini.
Pit lane is open and Q1 is underway in Aragon.
Here are your 12 riders about to head out for Q1:
Davide Tardozzi admits Marquez’s arm problems at Silverstone were a surprise to Ducati.
Bezzecchi ends FP2 fastest ahead of Marc Marquez, Fernandez, Acosta, and Bagnaia in the top-five - Bagnaia also with the medium rear at the end, like Marquez.
Di Giannantonio rounds out the top-six ahead of Alex Marquez, Moreira, Binder, and Morbidelli in the top-10.
Bezzecchi puts himself back on top with less than a minute remaining, 0.232s clear of Marquez. Soft rear tyre for Bezzecchi and only four laps on it compared to the medium of Marquez.
Marc Marquez to the top with four minutes to go on a fresh medium-compound rear tyre.
Fernandez up to second a few moments later with a soft rear.
Fresh soft rear for Alex Marquez and he moves up to second in FP2, 0.030s behind Bezzecchi, with seven minutes to go.
Bezzecchi improves again, 1m46.756s now to lead by 0.083s from Moreira.
Acosta completes the top-three now, ahead of Binder, Marini, Marc Marquez, Zarco, Martin, Morbidelli, and Fernandez in the top-10.
Bezzecchi now to the top on a 1m46.761s, puts him 0.078s ahead of Moreira who has moved up to second.
Most riders out on soft-compound rear tyres - only Aldeguer and Miller out on the medium.
Johann Zarco is fastest early on here, just ahead of Marc Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi.
Pit lane is open for FP2 at Aragon, 30 minutes of final practice before qualifying.
Johann Zarco is back in action at Aragon after his terrifying Barcelona MotoGP crash.
Despite finishing Practice as the fastest Yamaha rider, Fabio Quartararo ended Friday's running in a pessimistic mood, feeling he could neither push for one fast lap nor string together multiple laps in a row.
Full story here.
