Alex Marquez Sets Record Pace to Lead MotoGP Practice at 2026 Spanish Grand Prix

Alex Marquez set the fastest time in the MotoGP practice session at the Jerez circuit on Friday, clocking a 1:35.704 to lead the opening day of the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix weekend ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio and championship leader Marco Bezzecchi. The Gresini Ducati rider was the only competitor to break the 1:36 barrier across the entire session, opening a gap of 0.333 seconds over Di Giannantonio and 0.506 seconds over Bezzecchi's Aprilia. Reigning world champion Marc Marquez, riding for the Ducati Lenovo Team, slotted into fourth place, just 17 thousandths of a second behind Bezzecchi, squeezing into the top ten with barely a minute remaining in the session. The result confirmed Ducati's continued strength at the Andalusian venue while also underlining Aprilia's competitiveness, with Bezzecchi, Ai Ogura, Raul Fernandez, and Jorge Martin all securing direct passage to Saturday's Q2.

Bagnaia crashes early but salvages Q2 spot Pecco Bagnaia endured a difficult afternoon despite ultimately finishing sixth and securing direct access to Q2. The factory Ducati rider crashed at Turn 1 early in the session without physical consequences, but the incident damaged his primary bike and forced him to continue on his second Desmosedici GP26, a machine without the specific development updates Borgo Panigale had brought to Jerez. Jorge Martin, riding for Aprilia, also suffered a pair of crashes — including one at Turn 13 — but recovered to post the ninth-best time and avoid Q1. Pedro Acosta, by contrast, could not find the pace needed, finishing 15th on his KTM and facing the prospect of having to fight through Q1 on Saturday to reach the pole position shootout. Honda and Yamaha were also shut out of the top ten entirely, with Joan Mir finishing 11th, Johann Zarco 12th, and Fabio Quartararo 17th.

Fabio Di Giannantonio: 0.333, Marco Bezzecchi: 0.506, Marc Marquez: 0.523

Defending Jerez winner downplayed his own title chances The session result carried added significance given that Alex Marquez arrived at Jerez as the defending race winner, having claimed his first MotoGP victory at this circuit in 2025. He finished the 2025 season as world runner-up behind his brother Marc. Yet before Friday's running, Alex Marquez had been notably cautious about his prospects for the weekend, citing a difficult start to the 2026 campaign. „Emphatically no. The first part of the season has been difficult for us, especially in Thailand. In Brazil and Austin we were a bit better, but still very far away, especially from Aprilia.” — Alex Marquez via LaSexta He acknowledged specific technical struggles, particularly with braking, and said repeating last year's result "would be incredible, but at this moment it is not entirely realistic." His Friday pace, however, told a different story, with El Periódico reporting that the gap he opened over Di Giannantonio — described as "an enormity" — suggested a rider in far better shape than his pre-session words implied.

1:35.704 (lap time) — Alex Marquez's session-best, only sub-1:36 lap

KTM move looms as Marquez dominates home circuit The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix takes place at the Circuito Jerez-Ángel Nieto, one of the traditional venues on the MotoGP calendar. Alex Marquez won his first premier-class race at this circuit in 2025, a result that elevated his profile significantly after years of racing in his brother Marc's shadow. The 2026 season had already seen disruption before the European rounds began, with the Qatar round suspended earlier in the calendar year. Alex Marquez's dominant Friday display unfolded against the backdrop of his impending departure from the Gresini team, with El Periódico reporting that he is set to announce a move to KTM for the 2027 season after Ducati failed to guarantee him a factory-specification machine. According to the same report, the announcement is expected imminently, tied to the signing of a new contract between manufacturers and the World Championship organizers. The irony of his situation — outperforming factory Ducati riders on a satellite machine while being shown the door — was not lost on observers at Jerez. Meanwhile, the session confirmed that the 2026 MotoGP World Championship standings leader, Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia, remains a genuine title contender, with his third-place practice time demonstrating that the Italian manufacturer's strong early-season form has carried into the European rounds. Saturday's qualifying will begin with Q1 before Q2 assigns pole position, followed by the afternoon Sprint race.