Fabio Di Giannantonio tops Mugello MotoGP FP1, Marc Marquez 15th
Fabio Di Giannantonio led first practice at Mugello as Marc Marquez returned to action
VR46 Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio topped first practice for the 2026 MotoGP Italian Grand Prix, as Marc Marquez was 15th on his return from injury.
Fabio Di Giannantonio comes to his home event on a hot streak, after claiming his first win in three years last time out at the Catalan Grand Prix.
He kept that momentum up through the opening 45-minute FP1 at Mugello on Friday morning, as he led the way by 0.369s from Aprilia’s Jorge Martin.
Marc Marquez made his return from surgery on a shoulder and foot injury, and was 15th at the end of a steady session on the factory team Ducati.
Team-mate Pecco Bagnaia was the only crasher in the session, after a low-speed fall at the first corner in the closing stages.
Cal Crutchlow, standing in for Johann Zarco at LCR Honda, was last of the 22-rider field, 3.671s off the pace in his first official MotoGP session in three years.
Though the track was damp in places from overnight rain, everyone headed out with slick tyres for the start of FP1.
Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi set the early pace after the first 10 minutes on his Aprilia with a 1m47.438s.
Marquez wouldn’t appear until just over 10 minutes into the session, as he eases himself back into action after missing Sunday at the French Grand Prix and the entire Catalan Grand Prix.
Team-mate Bagnaia took over top spot with a 1m46.971s around the same time, before Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer edged ahead with a 1m46.916s.
KTM’s Pedro Acosta leapt to the top of the order with a 1m46.794s on a new medium rear tyre with four minutes to go.
But this wouldn’t be enough to halt Di Giannantonio’s charge, as he guided his Ducati GP26 - fitted with a new medium rear - to a 1m46.242s to end the morning fastest of all.
Martin was his nearest challenger in second, with Ai Ogura completing the top three on the Trackhouse Aprilia.
Maverick Vinales was fourth on the Tech3 KTM, with Jack Miller fifth on the Pramac Yamaha ahead of Acosta.
Aldeguer slid to seventh ahead of Bagnaia, with these two the only riders inside the top 10 not to fit fresh tyres at the end.
Raul Fernandez was ninth on the sister Trackhouse Aprilia, while VR46’s Franco Morbidelli rounded out the top 10.
Marquez was inside the top 10 in the closing stages, but was 15th at the chequered flag, 1.177s off the pace.
He finished ahead of Michele Pirro, who has been called on by Gresini to fill in for the injured Alex Marquez.
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