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 entered 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, but in qualifying it was still the Italian who came out on top and who became the first rider to lap Aragon in the 1m44s bracket.
Marquez himself was 0.038 seconds behind Bezzecchi in third place in Practice, and insisted afterwards that he was in "attack mode". After qualifying, he admitted that "sometimes you cannot do anything" in response to another rider's pace.
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 third sector where he was losing time compared to his brother and the well-turning Aprilias. He clearly found a step today in qualifying, finishing third, although he was still weaker in the third sector compared to Marc Marquez and Bezzecchi.
Fermin Aldeguer is returning from injury this weekend and qualified 12th this morning, but the more impressive performance, perhaps, came from Johann Zarco. He was ninth in qualifying today, but even after finishing 10th on the first day of his return he 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 on Friday, who felt that the track had been one of Aprilia's worst in the past. The championship leader was fifth this morning and the slowest of the three Aprilias in Q2.
Only three full-time Aprilia riders are in Aragon, of course, after a left hand injury for Ai Ogura forced him out, with Lorenzo Savadori stepping in as replacement.
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. Qualifying was solid enough for Acosta, though, and he will start sixth this afternoon.
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.
Welcome to live coverage of Saturday's action at the Aragon MotoGP at MotorLand. Qualifying is due to start in just under 50 minutes at 10:50 local time.
FP2 is only a few minutes away to kick off this morning's action.