Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) left it late to secure the top spot in a thrilling Practice session at the Tissot Grand Prix of the United Kingdom, setting a new all-time lap record of 1:57.295 on his final flying lap. The Spaniard narrowly beat out second-placed Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), while Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) rounded out the top three on a bright afternoon for Yamaha at Silverstone.
The opening minutes of the session saw crashes for Miller, Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), and Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), with the six-time MotoGP World Champion hitting the deck at Turn 3. As the session progressed, the battle for the top spot intensified, with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol), and Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) all taking turns at the top of the timesheets.
With just under 10 minutes remaining, Bezzecchi’s 1:57.667 looked set to secure him the fastest time, but Alex Marquez had other ideas. The Spanish GP winner delivered when it mattered most, setting a blistering 1:57.613 to leap to the top of the standings. Quartararo then upped the ante with a brilliant 1:57.342, but Marquez responded on his final lap, clocking a 1:57.295 to claim the day’s honors.
The factory Ducati duo of Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia found themselves outside the top 10 for much of the session but managed to improve in the closing stages to secure their places in Q2. Marquez finished fourth, while Bagnaia settled for seventh.
Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) snatched the final automatic Q2 spot, pushing out his compatriot Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in the process. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), the French GP hero, finished eighth as the lead HRC rider, while Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) held onto a top 10 place in ninth. Notably, three Yamahas secured direct passage to Q2 for the first time since 2021, highlighting the Iwata factory’s strong performance.
Reflecting on his day, Alex Marquez said, “It was a positive day, with a solid work done by the whole team. We struggled a bit more in FP1, while in Practice, after a set-up change, we made a decisive step forward. There’s still a lot to work on and to improve, as we’re all very fast. The feeling is good but you can’t catch a break at this track; we need to keep our heads down.”
With an exciting Friday in the books, all eyes now turn to Saturday’s qualifying session (11:50) and the Tissot Sprint (16:00), as riders and fans alike keep a close watch on the ever-changing British weather.
