03:10
Bagnaia snatches P2
Despite his anger, Pecco Bagnaia split the Trackhouse Aprilias with second place and a potential transfer spot to Qualifying 2.
Live updates for all of Saturday's action at the Japanese MotoGP.
© Gold and Goose
MotoGP Japan Sprint - As it happened
Live updates from all of Saturday's MotoGP action at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix.
Live coverage of FP2, Qualifying and the Sprint race from the 2026 Japanese MotoGP at Motegi.
Key Moments
- Marc Marquez wins from rookie Moreira: FULL RESULTS
- Martin and Bastianini lose 2nd and 3rd to penalties.
- Bagnaia and Martin hit late tyre trouble.
- Marc Marquez leads from Martin.
- Alex Marquez takes out Acosta, di Giannantonio on lap 1.
- Sprint starts at 3pm local time (7am UK).
- Jorge Martin snatches Motegi pole: FULL RESULTS
- Marc Marquez breaks lap record at start of Q2.
- Ogura, Fernandez lead Q1 - Bagnaia misses out.
- Marco Bezzecchi fastest in FP2: FULL RESULTS
- Falls for Aldeguer and Ogura after session restarts.
- FP2 red-flagged after 6mins due to an engine failure for Morbidelli.
Saturday MotoGP schedule:
10:10am (local) / 2:10am (UK) - MotoGP FP2
10:50am (local) / 2:50am (UK) - MotoGP Qualifying
3:00pm (local) / 7:00am (UK) - MotoGP Sprint
Jorge Martin holds a 12-point MotoGP title lead over Marc Marquez heading into Saturday at the Japanese MotoGP.
The pair have broken clear of Bezzecchi’s team-mate Marco Bezzecchi, who starts this weekend 42 points from the top, while Pedro Acosta climbed to fourth in the world championship with a well-deserved maiden victory at the Red Bull Ring.
Acosta also 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.
However, Honda test rider Takaaki Nakagami has been forced to abandon a wildcard entry after being injured on the out-lap of Friday's damp FP1 at 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.
03 Oct 2026
03:11
Binder crash
Brad Binder walks away from a destroyed Red Bull KTM after a fast accident at Turn 12, the incident also brings out yellow flags that wreck Raul Fernandez's lap.
03:09
Ogura improves
Ai Ogura pushes P1 0.268s clear of team-mate Raul Fernandez.
03:07
Final run begins
The final Qualifying 1 run begins, Bagnaia leaves the pits with Jack Miller in tow.
03:06
Bagnaia angry
Francesco Bagnaia's body language in the Ducati pits suggests he's got no rear grip, yet again.
Crew chief Cristian Gabarrini is trying to calm him down.
03:05
Times
Halfway through Qualifying 1, Ogura is still on top but team-mate Raul Fernandez is now second with Brad Binder pushing Pecco Bagnaia to fourth...
1. Ai Ogura 1m 43.095s
2. Raul Fernandez +0.056s
3. Brad Binder +0.304s
4. Francesco Bagnaia +0.345s
5. Franco Morbidelli +0.496s
6. Luca Marini +0.513s
7. Fermin Aldeguer +0.545s
8. Jack Miller +0.716s
9. Maverick Viñales +0.771s
10. Somkiat Chantra +0.788s
11. Alex Rins +0.801s
12. Toprak Razgatlioglu +1.360s
03:03
Ogura sets the pace
Ai Ogura and Francesco Bagnaia hold the early transfer places, ahead of Raul Fernandez and Jack Miller.
03:00
Qualifying 1 begins
Qualifying 1 begins, where these riders will fight for the final two places in Q2:
Fermin ALDEGUER
Brad BINDER
Raul FERNANDEZ
Franco MORBIDELLI
Ai OGURA
Francesco BAGNAIA
Luca MARINI
Jack MILLER
Somkiat CHANTRA
Alex RINS
Toprak RAZGATLIOGLU
Maverick VIÑALES
02:52
Qualifying next
There will now be a short break before the slightly delayed Qualifying 1 session begins, featuring the likes of Francesco Bagnaia and Ai Ogura.
02:52
Motegi MotoGP: Saturday Practice Results
MotoGP Japan, Motegi - Saturday Free Practice Results
Marco Bezzecchi, 2026 Japanese MotoGP.
© Gold and Goose
02:50
Aprilia one-two in final practice
FP2 ends with an Aprilia one-two, Marco Bezzecchi ahead of Jorge Martin, but Bez did it with an old medium rear while the rest of the top ten were on the soft rear.
02:47
Aprilia one-two
Jorge Martin makes it an Aprilia one-two behind Marco Bezzecchi, like Acosta, Martin has an old medium front and fresh soft rear.
02:46
Acosta 2nd
Pedro Acosta is indeed back at the sharp end on the new soft rear tyre, combined with an old medium front.
02:44
Bezzecchi top
Marco Bezzecchi goes fastest - and it's not a new soft rear, he's still on the old (11-lap) medium rear tyre with a 4-lap old medium front.
02:42
Diggia 3rd
But, you've guessed it, it's with a new soft rear.
02:41
Fernandez 3rd
But again it's with a brand new soft rear.
02:41
Acosta out on the soft
Acosta has ditched the medium rear and is heading out on the soft rear. Let's see if he can repeat Friday's speed.
02:40
Ogura 4th, Zarco 6th
Ai Ogura returns and is up to 4th, while Johann Zarco puts Honda into 6th place.
However, both are using new soft tyres.
02:39
Acosta 14th
Meanwhile, KTM's Red Bull Ring winner Pedro Acosta, who had the best pace on used soft rubber on Friday, is only 14th on the medium. Like Martin, Acosta could be looking at the soft for both races unless he can unlock more speed on the medium.
02:35
Better for Bagnaia
Another Italian having a better morning is last year's double winner Francesco Bagnaia, who was only 16th yesterday.
02:34
Bezzecchi impressive
Marco Bezzecchi, in 2nd, is the only rider in the top 11 on the medium rear tyre. He's only a fraction slower than Marc Marquez on the soft.
02:33
Times
Halfway through final practice:
1. Marc Marquez 1m 43.564s
2. Marco Bezzecchi +0.004s
3. Jorge Martin +0.208s
4. Francesco Bagnaia +0.236s
5. Alex Marquez +0.314s
6. Raul Fernandez +0.353s
7. Diogo Moreira +0.376s
8. Fabio Di Giannantonio +0.489s
9. Fabio Quartararo +0.756s
10. Johann Zarco +0.783s
11. Ai Ogura +0.797s
12. Pedro Acosta +0.832s
13. Fermin Aldeguer +0.925s
14. Somkiat Chantra +0.960s
15. Jack Miller +0.971s
16. Enea Bastianini +1.159s
17. Maverick Viñales +1.249s
18. Alex Rins +1.319s
19. Brad Binder +1.330s
20. Luca Marini +1.436s
21. Franco Morbidelli +1.584s
22. Toprak Razgatlioglu +1.729s
02:31
Ai Ogura crash
Home star Ai Ogura loses the rear of his Trackhouse Aprilia and crashes at Turn 9. He is now running to get a scooter ride back to the pits.
It's more bad news for the Japanese, who had an engine failure on Friday and didn't make Qualifying 2.
02:30
Aldeguer crash
Fermin Aldeguer, 12th fastest on the medium rear, falls at Turn 9. Rider OK.
02:29
Martin 2nd
Title leader Jorge Martin, who struggled on the medium yesterday afternoon, is back up to speed on the soft and now second to Marc Marquez.
If Martin can race the soft in both the Sprint and Grand Prix that'll be good news for the Aprilia rider.