Marco Bezzecchi made a triumphant return from a collarbone injury by leading Friday practice at the MotoGP British Grand Prix. The Aprilia rider set a blistering time of 1m56.280s, not only securing the fastest lap but also breaking the Silverstone track record by nearly a full second. His performance was particularly impressive given the uncertainty around his fitness after a recent crash and a challenging start to the season.
Aprilia delivered a dominant display, with Bezzecchi, Raul Fernandez, and Fabio di Giannantonio occupying the top three spots. Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura initially appeared on course to finish first after posting the session’s first sub-1m57s time. However, in a dramatic final few minutes, Bezzecchi overcame his team-mate Fernandez and others to secure the lead, showing his speed and determination despite a recent injury.
Martin moves up
Championship leader Jorge Martin made a late charge to finish fourth in the session. The VR46 rider, who started the session in 17th position, climbed up the timesheet thanks to two quick laps that positioned him among the leaders. Martin's late improvement highlighted his strong form, despite the session being full of tire changes and late bursts from other riders.
Alex Marquez opened the session with a strong time of 1m58.692s, but the pace was quickly matched and then bettered by Bezzecchi. Marquez held the lead for more than 30 minutes before Trackhouse and Aprilia riders overtook him. During the session, Pedro Acosta, Marc Marquez, and Jack Miller all took temporary laps on the top of the timesheet. This fast-paced battle set the tone for a highly competitive day.
Ogura’s lead slips
Ai Ogura seemed in control after posting a fast time of 1m56.810s, which briefly made him the fastest man on track. However, Raul Fernandez answered with a late lap to shift the balance, pushing Ogura back down the standings. Bezzecchi, though, had one last lap to go and capitalized on it, setting the session's best time and firmly securing the top spot.
With time remaining, Ogura fell to fifth place, while Marc and Alex Marquez finished sixth and seventh respectively. Pedro Acosta, despite a brief crash at Brooklands, ended the session in the top ten. Francesco Bagnaia, who started strong, was forced into Q1 after a late crash that dropped him to 13th on the timesheet.
Enea Bastianini and Luca Marini missed direct entry into Q2 by a narrow margin, while Jack Miller and Acosta closed out the top ten. The session underlined Aprilia’s strength, with three of its riders finishing in the top five. This strong performance has set the stage for an exciting set of qualifying rounds ahead as the weekend continues.
