Marco Bezzecchi shrugged off an early crash to top Friday Practice for the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, clocking a blistering 1m26.775s lap in a session twice interrupted by red flags.
The action-packed 60-minute run saw Bezzecchi collide with Alex Marquez at Turn 4, damaging his Aprilia and dropping the bike in the gravel. Despite the fairing damage, Bezzecchi was unharmed and stewards ruled no further action necessary. The session resumed after debris was cleared, with Jorge Martin briefly taking the lead before a second stoppage due to a stray wallaby on the circuit.
Once underway again, Bezzecchi powered to the top with his late flyer, edging out Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) by 0.072s. Marc Marquez led the Ducati charge in third, just 0.126s off the pace and trialed a new Aprilia-style rear aero update on his swingarm.
Key results from Practice:
4th: Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia) — matched Marquez’s time
5th: Jorge Martin (Championship leader), 0.255s adrift
6th: Alex Marquez (after a late crash)
7th: Enea Bastianini (top KTM rider)
9th: Diogo Moreira (top Honda for LCR; factory Honda absent)
10th: Fabio Di Giannantonio (last direct Q2 spot, VR46 Ducati)
Pecco Bagnaia struggled, finishing 14th
The eventful session saw promising pace from Aprilia, while Ducati continued intensive aero development. With qualifying spots on the line, all eyes will be on whether Bezzecchi can convert his practice speed into another standout weekend.
