The #93 leads a frantic opening day where just four tenths cover the top ten and several big names are left staring at Q1.
Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) wasted no time in stamping his authority on the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera. On a sun-kissed Friday afternoon at Misano, the eight-time World Champion posted a searing 1:30.480 to finish Day 1 on top of the timesheets. The lap put him narrowly ahead of home hero Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), who thrilled the Italian fans by finishing just 0.147s behind. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completed a surprise top three, giving the local crowd even more reason to cheer.
Márquez sets the early tone
The first half of the session was a story of tiny margins. Márquez’s trademark #93 was a familiar sight at the top, but he wasn’t alone. Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Racing) ran him close, less than a tenth behind at one stage, while Bezzecchi kept the home banners flying in P3.
By the midway point, the provisional Q2 cut-off was already razor thin. Inside the top 10 sat Márquez, Morbidelli, Di Giannantonio, Bezzecchi, Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Alex Márquez (Gresini), reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha), and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia). The entire group was split by less than half a second — a sign of how brutal the late time-attack phase was going to be. Seventeen riders within three-quarters of a second underlined just how intense the fight was.
Time attack heats up
With 15 minutes remaining, the lap times began tumbling. Bagnaia briefly surged to the top with a statement lap, but Marc Márquez immediately answered with a stunning improvement, pulling three tenths clear and re-establishing his authority. Bezzecchi responded by dragging his Aprilia into second, trimming the deficit to just 0.163s, and Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) tried to join the party — only for track limits to cancel his effort.
Alex Márquez looked strong in fourth until Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) delivered a surprise lap to push himself into the top five. Mir’s effort was particularly encouraging for HRC, as teammate Marini also looked lively.
As the final minutes ticked down, Bezzecchi again closed in, slicing the gap to 0.147s, while Martin salvaged a tow from his teammate to haul himself into sixth. That shuffle dumped Quartararo out of the top 10 with just minutes left on the clock.
Drama in the closing stages
The late push wasn’t without incident. Augusto Fernandez (Yamaha Factory) fell at Turn 2, Joan Mir went down at Turn 9, and Raul Fernandez added another crash at Turn 15. Those yellow flags ruined laps for several riders — most notably for Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who was stranded down in 18th after losing his final chance.
When the flag fell, Marini produced a brilliant lap to grab seventh and keep Honda smiling. But Quartararo and Bastianini were both left on the wrong side of the Q2 cut, joining a list of high-profile riders destined for Q1.
Friday’s top 10 at Misano
- Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo) – 1:30.480
- Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) +0.147s
- Franco Morbidelli (VR46 Ducati) +0.190s
- Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo)
- Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol)
- Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing)
- Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol)
- Alex Márquez (Gresini Ducati)
- Pedro Acosta (KTM Factory Racing)
- Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati)
Márquez’s speed, Bezzecchi’s home charge, and Morbidelli’s surprise strength headline a top 10 where only 0.4s separates first from tenth.
Saturday awaits: Sprint pressure builds
The stage is now set for a blockbuster Saturday. Big hitters Fabio Quartararo and Enea Bastianini will have to roll the dice in Q1, joined by Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR), Brad Binder (KTM), and Maverick Viñales (Tech3 KTM). With only two spots available to escape into Q2, expect fireworks.
More from Friday at Misano
- Marc Márquez: Fastest on Friday, but openly admitting Misano still highlights his weak points.
- Honda double top 10: Mir and Marini give HRC a much-needed lift, with Casey Stoner dropping by for a cameo.
- Aprilia in sync: Bezzecchi and Martin worked together in formation, sparking talk of a turning point for the Noale factory.
- Bagnaia’s rebound: After a bruising Barcelona, the reigning champ looked far sharper with a new setup.
Moto2: Vietti makes home fans dream
Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) lit up his home round by finishing P1 in Moto2, giving Italy another reason to celebrate. Chasing his first win of the year, Vietti edged Manuel Gonzalez (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Catalan GP winner Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Aspar). Jake Dixon (Marc VDS) grabbed fourth despite a late crash, while Diogo Moreira (Italtrans) rounded out the top five. Title contender Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) struggled to 15th, meaning he faces Q1 on Saturday.
Moto3: Almansa leads Leopard Racing 1-2
David Almansa (Leopard Racing) delivered a masterclass to lead teammate Adrian Fernandez in a Friday 1-2 for the Honda outfit. Almansa’s 1:40.596 was the only sub-1:41 lap of the day, nearly half a second clear. Joel Kelso (MTA) followed in third, with rookie Valentin Perrone (Tech3 KTM) and series leader Jose Antonio Rueda (KTM Ajo) completing the top five. Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Aspar) was sixth, while Angel Piqueras (MT Helmets – confirmed for Moto2 in 2026) managed to sneak into P12. Rookie Alvaro Carpe (KTM Ajo) endured technical issues and will start his Saturday in Q1.
👉 The Misano weekend has already delivered tension, crashes, and storylines aplenty. With Márquez leading the charge and several big stars under pressure, Saturday’s Sprint and qualifying promise to be unmissable.
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