MotoGP Japan LIVE: Marc Marquez leads FP1, Nakagami out

Live coverage of FP1 and Practice from the 2026 Japanese MotoGP at Motegi.

Key Moments

• Marc Marquez fastest: Full FP1 Results
• Nakagami out of Motegi with a broken collarbone.
• Aprilia one-two at the midway stage.
• Nakagami suffers a heavy highside on his out lap.
• Rain spots just before the start of MotoGP FP1.

Friday’s MotoGP schedule: 

10:45am (local) / 2:45am (UK) - MotoGP FP1
3:00pm (local) / 7:00am (UK) - MotoGP Practice

Marc Marquez returns to the scene of his 2025 title triumph chasing Jorge Martin by 12 points in this year’s world championship, after being beaten by the Aprilia rider in both Red Bull Ring races.

The pair have broken clear of Bezzecchi’s team-mate Marco Bezzecchi, who starts this weekend 42 points from the top, while the biggest threat to Martin and Marquez could well come from KTM’s new MotoGP winner Pedro Acosta.

Acosta climbed to fourth in the world championship with a well-deserved maiden victory at the Red Bull Ring and has a strong record at Motegi, leading in his rookie season, standing on the Sprint podium last year and being a frontrunner until a mistake in the grand prix.

Winner of both of last year’s Motegi races, from pole position, was Pecco Bagnaia… could he pull off some Motegi magic once again?

Maverick Vinales is back for Tech3, and Somkiat Chantra makes a surprise return at HRC, while Honda test rider Takaaki Nakagami is making a wildcard entry in his home event.

A resurfaced Motegi means a revised Michelin tyre allocation for this weekend’s Japanese MotoGP - including the reinforced rear construction that troubled Ducati in Austria.