Blistering Bezzecchi Breaks Lap Record to Dominate Day 1 in Australia
Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia Racing shattered the previous lap record at the Liqui Moly Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix with an extraordinary time of 1:26.492. This stellar performance positions him as the frontrunner as the MotoGP focus shifts to Saturday’s qualifying sessions at Phillip Island.
Bezzecchi Leads as Aprilia Dominates Practice
In a thrilling first practice session, Bezzecchi’s speed was notable from the start. He was closely followed by his teammate, Raul Fernandez, who ended the session in second place. Fabio Di Giannantonio from the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team secured the third-fastest time.
Practice Session Highlights
- Bezzecchi recorded a mind-blowing time of 1:26.492.
- Fernandez finished with a strong performance, clocking in at 1:26.821.
- Di Giannantonio completed the top three with 1:27.483.
- Grand Prix winner Fermin Aldeguer failed to qualify directly into Q2, finishing outside the top 10.
The session saw Francesco Bagnaia from the Ducati Lenovo Team struggling initially but eventually moving up to P7 with a personal best lap of 1:27.132. Despite his efforts, he ended the session in P9, securing a place in Q2.
Key Moments in Practice
The practice session took a brief halt when Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing suffered a minor crash. However, he quickly returned to the track. Home rider Jack Miller made significant progress, briefly taking the lead before Bezzecchi’s record-breaking lap.
Top 10 Results from MotoGP Practice
| Position | Rider | Team | Lap Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marco Bezzecchi | Aprilia Racing | 1:26.492 |
| 2 | Raul Fernandez | Trackhouse MotoGP Team | 1:26.821 |
| 3 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team | 1:27.483 |
| 4 | Fabio Quartararo | Monster Energy Yamaha | 1:27.000 |
| 5 | Alex Marquez | BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP | 1:27.125 |
| 6 | Jack Miller | Prima Pramac Yamaha | 1:27.150 |
| 7 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati Lenovo Team | 1:27.132 |
| 8 | Pol Espargaro | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | 1:27.178 |
| 9 | Maverick Viñales | Aprilia Racing | 1:27.200 |
| 10 | Pedro Acosta | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 1:27.250 |
As the MotoGP prepares for the qualifying sessions, questions remain about who can challenge Bezzecchi’s blistering pace. Aprilia has showcased impressive form, but as seen in previous events, anything can happen on race day.
