A 1:44.073 lap sees Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) head into this afternoon’s important Practice session at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan as the rider to beat, but it was close between the top three. Jorge Martin, the World Championship leader, finished 0.099s behind the reigning World Champion in P2, with Aprilia Racing teammate Marco Bezzecchi third quickest in the opening stint of the weekend.
After a slightly damp and subsequently slow start, the Japanese sun slowly came out in the closing stages of FP1 to allow the riders to get some important running done on Motegi’s freshly laid new asphalt. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) ended Free Practice 1 in P4, 0.261s away from his elder brother, while Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) led the HRC and Yamaha charges on the Japanese manufacturer’s home turf in P5 and P6.
Cruelly, home hero wildcard Takaaki Nakagami (Honda HRC) sustained a fractured left collarbone less than five minutes into the tricky FP1 conditions, when his Honda machine threw him over the handlebars. So unfortunate for the experienced Japanese star, who has been declared unfit for the rest of the weekend.
Our latest winner, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), was tenth fastest on Friday morning. Meanwhile, cruelly, home hero wildcard Takaaki Nakagami (Honda HRC) sustained a fractured left collarbone less than five minutes into the tricky FP1 conditions when his Honda machine threw him over the handlebars. So unfortunate for the experienced Japanese star, who has been declared unfit for the rest of the weekend.
MotoGP Japanese GP FP1 results!
Unfortunately @takanakagami30 has sustained a fracture to his left collarbone and has been declared unfit for the weekend. #JapaneseGP 🇯🇵
— Honda HRC Castrol - MotoGP (@HRC_MotoGP) October 2, 2026