2025 Portuguese MotoGP: Alex Marquez leads Pecco Bagnaia in tight Practice

Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez swept Friday’s practices at the MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix, as he edged Pecco Bagnaia by just 0.030s this afternoon.

The 2025 championship runner-up set out his stall on Friday morning at Portimao and led the early part of the hour-long Practice in the afternoon.

Though he would be challenged by the likes of KTM’s Pedro Acosta and factory Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia, Alex Marquez was able to snatch top spot in Practice with a 1m37.974s.

Setting that lap with just under 10 minutes to go, Ducati’s Bagnaia looked in stronger form in the afternoon and came close to denying Marquez on his final lap.

He ultimately came up just 0.030s short, with Bagnaia heading KTM’s Acosta.

Bagnaia’s new team-mate Nicolo Bulega ended Friday 17th, but was only 1.012s off the best pace on the sister factory team Ducati.

After 10 minutes of running, Alex Marquez led the way in Practice with a 1m38.272s on his 2024-spec Ducati.

With just under 20 minutes remaining, there was a risk that this lap would not be bettered as rain began to fall.

But the very light drops never developed into anything heavier, which led to a frantic conclusion to the session.

With just over 10 minutes on the clock, Acosta finally challenged Marquez with a 1m38.062s, before the latter fired in his 1m37.974s a few moments later.

That would be the last time Marquez was headed.

Behind the top three, Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi was just 0.159s off the pace in fourth, while Honda’s Joan Mir rounded out the top five.

He bested Honda stablemate Johann Zarco on the LCR-run RC213V, while Fabio Di Giannantonio ensured two GP25s have made it directly to Q2 for VR46.

Fermin Aldeguer was eighth on the sister Gresini Ducati, while KTM stand-in Pol Espargaro and Trackhouse rookie Ai Ogura completed the top 10.

Honda’s Luca Marini suffered a fall early in Practice and was denied a direct Q2 place by just 0.108s in 11th.

He will join the likes of VR46’s Franco Morbidelli, who also crashed, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and KTM’s Brad Binder.

Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse) was 15th after his bruising crash in FP1 left him needing scans in a local hospital between sessions.

Home hero Miguel Oliveira, in his last MotoGP appearance in Portugal, brought up the rear of the field in 22nd on the Pramac Yamaha.

 Full 2025 MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix Practice results