Marquez Kept Title Chase Open After Motegi Friday
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 2, 2026
Marc Marquez
Marquez set the pace in Free Practice 1 at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan at Motegi, posting a best lap of 1:44.073 and edging Jorge Martin by 0.099 seconds. Marco Bezzecchi took third, Alex Marquez finished fourth and Johann Zarco was the top Honda rider in fifth. The opening session gave Marquez a strong start to a weekend that already carries weight in the title fight, with Marquez arriving at Motegi 12 points behind Martin and seven Grands Prix left on the calendar. He also said his immediate aim was to reach Qualifying 2 and that he had to attack in every race because every point counted. Marquez expected qualifying to be difficult, and his Friday pace backed up the sense that he could stay in the fight if he kept his momentum through Saturday and Sunday.
Motegi conditions
FP1 started in damp conditions and rain interrupted the session before the sun broke through and the track improved. Riders also got a first run on Motegi’s newly laid asphalt, which added another layer of uncertainty to a Friday that already demanded constant adjustment. The changing surface and mixed weather turned the session into more than a simple time trial, with riders trying to read grip levels while conditions shifted around them. FP1 also brought an early red flag after an Aprilia failure spilled oil on the circuit, forcing officials to stop the action and clear the track. That made the first practice session a stop-start test of patience as much as pace, with riders needing to reset after each interruption and rebuild confidence as the surface dried. Motegi did not offer many clean laps early, and the opening session rewarded riders who could adapt quickest as the asphalt and weather kept changing.
Friday fallout
Friday at Motegi also sorted the field for Saturday’s qualifying phases. Marquez and the main championship contenders moved straight into Qualifying 2, while Ai Ogura ended the day 15th and had to go through Qualifying 1. Francesco Bagnaia finished 16th and never threatened the cutoff for Q2. The day carried more consequences beyond the timing sheets, too. Takaaki Nakagami crashed heavily at Turn 11, fractured his left collarbone and was ruled out for the rest of the weekend. Alex Rins, Luca Marini, Diogo Moreira and Zarco also went down during Friday practice, adding to a crowded incident sheet on a day that kept producing problems. Even with those setbacks, Marquez left Friday in a strong position. He advanced where he needed to and kept the pressure on Martin in a title chase that remained tight with seven rounds to go.
