Alex Marquez has stood out in the first practice session of the Spanish Grand Prix of MotoGP, achieving the best time and leading a Ducati one-two at Jerez. Meanwhile, his compatriot Pedro Acosta was left just outside Q2 for the first time this season, finishing in 15th position.
Marquez, from Gresini Racing, had struggled with his GP26 but showed significant improvement at the circuit where he achieved his first victory in the top category last year. The more than 40 minutes of activity highlighted his confidence, clocking a time of 1:35.704, which placed him with over half a second advantage over the competition.
The qualifying included a competitive moment with Fabio di Giannantonio, who set a new initial record, only to be displaced from first place by Marquez in the last minutes of the session. The Aprilia riders demonstrated good speed, with Marco Bezzecchi completing the third-best time, followed by Marc Marquez in fourth position, as the leader of the Ducati team.
Pedro Acosta, who is considered an emerging talent, had a challenging day. Although he was faster on two occasions, some mistakes left him in 15th position, needing to compete in Q1. Acosta, who has been one of the big favorites, will fight to ensure a good position on qualifying day.
The top 10 positions of the session were completed by Ai Ogura and Francesco Bagnaia, with notable performances from the Aprilia and Ducati riders. On the next competition day, the riders prepare for the intense Saturday, where the qualifying rounds will be decisive for the starting grid of the grand prix.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
