2025 Japanese MotoGP: Marco Bezzecchi tops chaotic Practice, Alex Marquez in Q1

Aprilia MotoGP rider Marco Bezzecchi was fastest in a chaotic Practice for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, as Alex Marquez fell into Q1 for the first time this season.

Having suffered two crashes in FP1, which severely limited his running, Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi saw out Friday with a 1m43.193s after a dramatic time attack phase to the afternoon session.

He came out on top ahead of KTM’s Pedro Acosta, though last year’s Motegi polesitter wrecked his RC16 at the end of Practice after crashing at Turn 1.

Championship leader Marc Marquez completed the top three in a scrappy session for the factory Ducati team, as he casts his eye on his first opportunity to win the 2025 MotoGP world title this weekend.

To do so, he has to outscore his younger brother Alex Marquez by just three points come the end of Sunday’s grand prix to seal the title.

And that reality has taken a small step forward, after the Gresini rider struggled for pace on his GP24 in Practice.

Languishing at the back of the pack come the final time attack phase, Alex Marquez made a crucial error on his last lap and was unable to advance on 15th.

It marks his first Q1 appearance of the season, leaving Marc Marquez as the only rider on the 2025 grid to go directly to Q2 in every single round.

After 10 minutes of running, Alex Marquez’s Gresini Ducati team-mate Fermin Aldeguer led the way with a 1m44.423s.

After only 20 minutes or so of running, a number of riders were already fitting fresh soft rubber and putting in some fast laps.

VR46 Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio went top with 35 minutes to go on a new soft with a 1m44.294s, before Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo deposed him with a 1m44.044s.

At the same time, both factory Ducati riders Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez were seemingly struggling as they made several animated trips to their garage.

Quartararo’s time would stand as the benchmark until the final 15 minutes, when Pedro Acosta was then rapidly replaced by Honda’s Luca Marini as the new pacesetter with a 1m43.884s.

Bezzecchi then served his first stint leading the way with a 1m43.623s, before Acosta once again shot to the top of the order with a 1m43.557s.

With just under five minutes to go, FP1 pacesetter Bagnaia rocketed to top spot on a 1m43.539s, with Joan Mir (Honda) and then Acosta edging ahead in quick succession.

Acosta would crash at Turn 1 as he crossed the line to post his 1m43.329s. That, however, would not keep him top as Bezzecchi produced a 1m43.193s with his last tour.

He led Acosta by 0.136s, while Marc Marquez moved up to third on a 1m43.360s.

Mir held onto fourth ahead of Di Giannantonio and Marini, while Bagnaia was seventh from Quartararo, Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez (who suffered an early technical issue on his Aprilia) and LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco.

A late 1m43.734s from Zarco ultimately denied Aldeguer a Q2 place by just 0.008s.

He will face Q1 with Gresini team-mate Alex Matrquez, who was 15th after fluffing his last flying lap.

Reigning world champion Jorge Martin crashed his Aprilia twice in Practice and was 13th, while late falls for Franco Morbidelli (VR46), Jack Miller (Pramac) and Somkiat Chantra (LCR) stopped them from challenging for the top 10.

Full 2025 MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix Practice results