Bezzecchi Credits Luck After Motegi Practice Save
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 2, 2026
Bezzecchi escape
Marco Bezzecchi escaped a major crash at Turn 11 in damp conditions at Motegi and came away calling himself lucky. He said he did not realize the corner was wet until the bike was already sideways, then the rear started to slide as he tried to hold it up. The moment could have turned into a high-side crash, but Bezzecchi kept the bike underneath him and stayed out of serious trouble. The corner highlighted the risks of the damp conditions.
The near-miss carried extra weight because Takaaki Nakagami crashed at the same corner and broke his collarbone. Bezzecchi wished him a quick recovery after the incident, a brief note of concern in a session that had already turned tense. The difference between a save and a crash came down to a split second, and Bezzecchi felt that as soon as the bike stepped out. The episode set the tone for a day that mixed speed, risk and a clear warning about how quickly Motegi could punish a mistake.
Bezzecchi pace
The scare did not slow Bezzecchi’s pace. He finished third in Friday morning practice and fourth in pre-qualifying, then stood as the top Aprilia rider after the opening day. Those results gave him a strong start and showed he adapted quickly to the track despite the close call at Turn 11. He managed to stay near the front in both sessions, which mattered as the new surface and damp conditions tested the riders. Bezzecchi still believed more speed was there, and his results suggested he had room to push again once he settled fully into the weekend.
His day looked even better when stacked against the difficulty of the conditions. Motegi did not hand out easy laps, and Bezzecchi handled the conditions with enough control to keep building. That balance mattered. He left Friday with a strong base and a clear sense of where the bike stood. For Aprilia, the opening day offered a rider who found pace fast and stayed competitive through the unsettled parts of the session.
Bezzecchi outlook
Bezzecchi liked the feel of Motegi’s new track surface, which he said was smooth with decent grip. He also described the asphalt as a leap into the unknown for everyone, a reminder that every rider had to learn the circuit again as the weekend unfolded. That combination of good feedback and fresh uncertainty shaped his outlook. He did not sound satisfied with what he had already shown. He believed there was still more potential, especially with a harder-than-last-year soft tire, and he kept his focus on steady improvement rather than one perfect lap. The track gave him enough confidence to keep pushing, but it also demanded patience.
Rain would not change his approach. Bezzecchi said wet conditions affected everyone, so the plan stayed the same no matter what the sky did. That attitude fit the way he handled Friday, controlled enough to survive the toughest moment and quick enough to leave the opening day near the front. His priority was simple: keep improving and stay focused for the rest of the weekend. After a day that mixed danger with promise, he had both a warning and an opportunity in front of him. Motegi had already tested his judgment once, and it also showed that his speed belonged in the conversation.
