The Gresini rider grabs top spot with a record-breaking lap in a high-octane Practice session
Friday, 23 May 2025
Friday at Silverstone didn’t disappoint. In a nail-biting finish to Practice, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) pulled out a sensational lap of 1:57.295 right at the death to snatch P1 from Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), breaking the all-time lap record in the process. It means the Spaniard heads into Saturday’s running as the rider to beat. Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) rounded out the top three, capping a strong day for Yamaha.
A CHAOTIC START
The session had barely hit the 15-minute mark when things kicked off in dramatic fashion. Crashes for Miller, Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), and Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) brought early tension, with the latter falling at Turn 3. Fortunately, all three walked away unharmed, but it was a rough start for the six-time Champion, who had earlier topped FP1.
WHO LED THE WAY EARLY?
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) was the first to lay down a serious marker, while Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) also looked sharp early on. Miller bounced back quickly from his tumble, climbing to P3 as Alex Marquez and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) settled into P4 and P5 respectively. Marc Marquez, meanwhile, found himself shuffled back to sixth.
With 25 minutes to go, the times started falling fast. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) briefly led before Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) hit the top, kicking off a flurry of quick laps. The top five were separated by just 0.098s – Mir, Viñales, Bezzecchi, Quartararo, and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46). At this stage, Marc Marquez and teammate Bagnaia were languishing in 12th and 13th, well outside the Q2 cutoff.
THE CHASE INTENSIFIES
Then came a strong push from Marquez, who – with Rins tucked in behind – fired in a 1:57.866 to take P1. Rins slotted into second, three-tenths down on the #93. Just as Ducati looked to be turning a corner, French hero Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) lit things up again, briefly going fastest before Marquez reclaimed the top spot.
That didn’t last long either. Di Giannantonio edged ahead of Marquez by 0.006s before Bagnaia finally cracked the top 10. Bezzecchi then upped the pace again, going quickest with a 1:57.667 as Alex Marquez found himself all the way down in P15 with under 10 minutes left.
But he wasn’t done. With time running out, the Gresini rider nailed a 1:57.613 to jump straight to the top – a crucial lap that bumped Viñales out of the top 10 and left Bagnaia hanging onto P10 by a thread.
THE FINAL PUSH
In the closing minutes, Miller surged into P2 before Quartararo dropped a 1:57.342 to take over at the front. Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) climbed into P9, which pushed Bagnaia out of the top 10. The reigning Champion responded quickly, moving up to P6 – though that was short-lived, as Marc Marquez went P4 and Bagnaia slipped back to seventh.
The final flurry saw Pedro Acosta sneak into the top 10, only to be edged out by Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), who grabbed P10 at the last moment. Then, in the final seconds, Alex Marquez uncorked a stunning lap to eclipse Quartararo’s time and claim a new lap record. Both Marc Marquez and Bagnaia managed to secure their spots in Q2.
FRIDAY’S WRAP-UP
At the close of a thrilling day, Marquez and Bezzecchi ended up inside the top five, with Di Giannantonio just behind in sixth. Bagnaia settled for seventh, while Zarco’s earlier flyer held up for eighth – making him the top Honda rider on Friday. Rins grabbed ninth, and Aldeguer’s late effort sealed the final automatic Q2 berth. For the first time since 2021, three Yamahas are straight through to Q2 – a well-earned result for the Iwata factory. Acosta and Mir both missed the cut by less than a tenth.
What a way to start the weekend. Saturday promises more fireworks, with qualifying at 11:50 and the Tissot Sprint at 16:00. Keep your eyes on the skies – weather could yet play a role.
Gonzalez makes his mark early in Moto2
Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP couldn’t have asked for a better start to the weekend. Manuel Gonzalez smashed the lap record with a 2:02.111 to end Friday half a second clear of his nearest rival – and teammate – Senna Agius. Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was third, despite an early fall that briefly interrupted his rhythm.
Local favourite Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS) led the way in the early going, but once Gonzalez found his flow, the FP1 pacesetter began to dominate. At one stage, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) was Gonzalez’s closest challenger, just over a tenth back, while Dixon held P3 ahead of Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) and Agius.
Salač briefly took over P1 with just a few minutes left, before Agius raised the bar with a new record of his own. However, Gonzalez had one more lap in the tank – and it was a belter. His final effort put him nearly four-tenths clear and comfortably at the top.
Diogo Moreira slotted into P4 ahead of Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing), while rookie Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) impressed again to earn a direct Q2 place in P7. Dixon ended up eighth, just ahead of Roberts and Jorge Navarro (KLINT Forward Factory Team). Ivan Ortola, Deniz Öncü, Izan Guevara, and Albert Arenas rounded out the top 14.
Canet, who podiumed at Silverstone last year, suffered a late crash and will now need to battle through Q1 on Saturday. Moto2 qualifying kicks off at 14:45 local time.
Carpe leads the way in frantic Moto3 Friday – Ogden impresses at home
Moto3 Fridays have become synonymous with chaos, and Silverstone was no different. With just 35 minutes to secure a spot in Q2, riders were flat out from the word go. And in the end, it was rookie Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) who topped the session with a new lap record of 2:09.104 – his first time leading a Moto3 Practice.
Carpe looked sharp throughout and is chasing another podium this weekend at a track he’s never raced before. David Almansa (Leopard Racing) was right on the pace too, riding solo and consistently quick to finish second.
The home fans had reason to cheer thanks to Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power), who grabbed an impressive third. Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) had technical issues late on but still managed to stay fourth, while Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) rounded out the top five.
Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ended up sixth, with David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) in seventh. Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) took eighth, just ahead of Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), who bounced back well after a FP1 suspension due to a marshal incident at Le Mans.
Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team) secured a top 10 finish, while Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) will have to dig deep from P11. Guido Pini, Dennis Foggia, and Maximo Quiles also booked their spots in Q2 – the latter just making it in at the end.
Valentin Perrone and Cormac Buchanan narrowly missed out and will be top contenders in Saturday’s Q1 session.
Images @bombercountymedia
