Marc Márquez left it late, but the Ducati star managed to grab a Q2 ticket on a dramatic opening day at Motegi – one that saw four different manufacturers occupy the top four places. It was a Friday full of twists, crashes, and last-minute heroics, setting up what promises to be a blockbuster weekend in Japan.
Bezzecchi Fights Back from a Chaotic FP1
Friday belonged to Marco Bezzecchi. Despite hitting the deck twice in Free Practice 1, the Italian bounced back in style, clocking a 1:43.623 in the afternoon session to lead the field. Bezzecchi’s comeback lap underlined his resilience and Aprilia’s growing strength, even after Jorge Martín’s own crash at Turn 5 left the factory box with extra repairs to handle early on.
For a time, it looked like Yamaha might steal the spotlight. Fabio Quartararo set the pace at halfway with a 1:44.044, showing flashes of the speed that has eluded him for much of 2025. Bezzecchi slotted into P2, Pedro Acosta followed in P3, and KTM, Aprilia, and Yamaha were suddenly locked in a tight scrap at the sharp end.
But Motegi wasn’t done throwing curveballs. Martín went down again, this time at Turn 7, while Alex Márquez hit the gravel at Turn 9 – continuing a miserable opening day for the younger Márquez. With 25 minutes to run, Alex was stone-last in P23.
Acosta vs Bezzecchi Lights Up Motegi
As the clock ticked down, the top names began to flex their muscles. Luca Marini delighted HRC fans with a run to P1 before Bezzecchi responded, only for Acosta to slice 0.066s off the Italian’s best. The duel looked set to go Acosta’s way until the rookie star tumbled out at Turn 1 in the final minutes, his session cut short just as the intensity peaked.
Meanwhile, drama swirled around the Márquez brothers. Alex hauled himself briefly to P5 with a late push, only for his lap to be deleted – leaving him stuck in P15 and heading for Q1 for the first time this year. Marc, by contrast, was sweating bullets. With three minutes to go, the #93 was buried in P14, staring at elimination on a weekend where he carries his first championship match point. One last all-or-nothing attack rescued him: red sectors lit up the screens, and Marc crossed the line to vault into P3. Relief for the title leader, and another reminder of his uncanny timing under pressure.
The Final Shuffle
The closing stages were frantic. Joan Mir briefly held P1, then Acosta, then Bezzecchi reclaimed top spot just before Acosta’s crash froze the order. Further down, Quartararo fired in a last-gasp lap to climb from P15 to P8, while Johann Zarco delivered a clutch performance for Honda, stealing P10 in the dying moments and pushing Fermin Aldeguer out of the automatic Q2 slots.
That left a top ten packed with surprises: Bezzecchi leading Acosta and Marc Márquez, Mir shining in P4, and Fabio Di Giannantonio continuing his under-the-radar rise in P5. Marini impressed with P6, Bagnaia rescued a P7, while Quartararo, Raul Fernández, and Zarco rounded out the provisional Q2 runners.
Saturday’s Sprint in Sight
The stage is perfectly set for Saturday. With Bezzecchi flying, Acosta hungry, Alex Márquez under pressure, and Marc Márquez juggling both Q2 survival and a potential title decider, the Tissot Sprint promises fireworks. Add in the roar of the Japanese fans at Honda and Yamaha’s home race, and it’s hard to imagine a more dramatic build-up.
Moto2: Dixon Denies Sasaki a Home Triumph – For Now
Moto2 brought its own dose of theatre. Local hero Ayumu Sasaki looked set to end Friday on top, but Jake Dixon had other ideas. The ELF Marc VDS rider pulled out a late flyer to beat the Japanese ace by just over a tenth and a half, leaving Sasaki second at his home round.
Manuel Gonzalez claimed third, while drama struck Izan Guevara: the Spaniard’s best lap was cancelled for a tyre-pressure violation, dropping him down the order. Aron Canet and Barry Baltus both suffered crashes, putting two of the Championship’s top four riders into Q1 on Saturday.
Behind the front trio came Tony Arbolino in fourth, rookie Daniel Holgado an impressive fifth, and Joe Roberts in sixth for American Racing. Dutchman Zonta van den Goorbergh slotted into P8, rookie Collin Veijer took ninth, and Misano winner Celestino Vietti completed the top ten.
Moto3: Muñoz Strikes First in Japan
Moto3’s Friday was no less lively. David Muñoz topped the timesheets with a late push, edging Championship leader José Antonio Rueda by more than a tenth. Behind them, Ryusei Yamanaka kept local hopes alive in P3 despite a crash earlier in the session.
Angel Piqueras grabbed fourth, aiming to close the gap to Rueda in the standings, while Leopard Racing’s David Almansa took P5. Valentino Perrone impressed again for Tech3, Adrian Fernandez followed in seventh, and Joel Kelso, Taiyo Furusato, and rookie Guido Pini completed the top ten.
One of the standout stories was Matteo Bertelle’s return: after a lengthy injury layoff, the Italian immediately found rhythm to finish P11 and secure a Q2 berth.
What’s Next?
Friday delivered crashes, comebacks, and shocks across all three classes at Motegi. With Bezzecchi and Acosta lighting up MotoGP, Dixon spoiling Sasaki’s party in Moto2, and Muñoz stamping authority in Moto3, Saturday is primed for more chaos – and possibly decisive moments in the title chase.
Images MotoGP
