MotoGP practice results as Alex Marquez sets the pace at Spanish GP and Francesco Bagnaia crashes

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Gresini rider Alex Marquez set the pace during the pre-qualifying practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix, while Francesco Bagnaia started with an early crash at Jerez.

The 2026 MotoGP season has resumed at Jerez this weekend following the April break, and Ducati appear to have used the time off to great effect. VR46 ace Fabio Di Giannantonio set the pace in FP1 at the Spanish GP aboard his Desmosedici GP26, and was quick in practice.

Yet Marquez ended the hour with the fastest lap time aboard his Ducati GP26, as the Gresini racer destroyed Di Giannantonio’s benchmark and threw down a marker that no rival would match. Even Marc Marquez struggled to get within half a second of his brother’s best time.

Alex Marquez sets a high benchmark in practice at Jerez! Which rider will be joining this lot in Q2 on Saturday?

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Alex Marquez sets the pace in practice at the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix by 0.333 seconds

LCR rider Johann Zarco and factory Honda racer Joan Mir were among the first riders to set fast lap times during practice at the Spanish GP, as attention turned to getting an automatic place in Q2. Yet neither rider got within touching distance of Di Giannantonio’s effort at first.

Zarco again rose up the timesheet after a slight lull, as Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia also finally started to show some speed at the Spanish GP. Yet it was another Ducati GP26 that knocked Di Giannantonio off the top spot, as Gresini racer Marquez went top in the final 10 minutes.

Marquez was the first rider to dip into the 1:35s, and he quickly put some distance between his time and the best of the rest. The 30-year-old opened a 0.563s gap over Di Giannantonio in second place when he set a 1:35.704, before most riders then put everything on the line.

Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin crashed during practice at the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix

Ducati rider Bagnaia crashed just two minutes into the session, after he locked the front tyre trying to brake for Jerez’s Turn 1. His Desmosedici GP26 just refused to bite into the track, as the rear tyre jumped side-to-side as the Italian tried to slow down behind Alex Marquez.

Bagnaia continued to have trouble getting his GP26 to stop once he returned to the track, as well, with the rear of his Ducati often stepping out in the braking zone. The two-time riders’ champion ultimately managed to secure an automatic position in Q2 with a late flying time.

After the marshals picked Bagnaia’s GP26 out of the gravel and he hurried back to the pits, a GP26 was atop the timesheet, though. VR46 pilot Di Giannantonio continued his strong start to the Spanish GP event by setting the early pace again in Friday’s timed practice session.

Aprilia rider Jorge Martin also continued his unusual day for crashes at Jerez, after he fell on his way to the grid for a practice start in the morning and then nearly crashed in the pit lane in the afternoon. Quick lap times were not too easy for Martin to produce in practice, either.

Martin also crashed at the final corner shortly after the half-hour mark in practice, as he lost the front under braking for Jerez’s Jorge Lorenzo hairpin. While the crash took Martin to the gravel trap on the far side of the circuit, he quickly ran across the track to return to the pits.

Turn 6 almost caught Pedro Acosta of KTM out in the final 10 minutes, as well. Acosta had a wild snap as he tried to brake for the right-hand Turn 6 on his KTM RC16 whilst only P15 on the timesheet, but the Cervera native somehow managed to avoid a possibly huge highside.

Acosta would not find enough speed to secure an automatic place in Q2 at Jerez, though, as the Spaniard finished Friday with only the 15th-fastest lap time. Tech3 rider Enea Bastianini was the only KTM rider to secure an automatic Q2 place after finishing Friday in 10th place.

In contrast, Friday saw the first time since the 2024 Aragon Grand Prix that four Aprilia riders all secured spots directly through to Q2. Bezzecchi was the fastest of the Aprilia riders in P3, but even he was 0.506s down on Marquez’s time – split by Di Giannantonio, 0.333s adrift.

Full 2026 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix practice results