The opening free practice session of the Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika kicked off under scorching conditions, presenting an immediate challenge for tyre engineers. Track temperatures soared to a staggering 54 degrees Celsius right from the start of FP1, with zero trace of rain as round 17 of the 2026 World Championship season commenced under consistently intense heat.
Twenty-one regular riders alongside wildcard and test rider Aleix Espargaro—stepping in for the ill Joan Mir—took to the asphalt. The Trackhouse squad rolled out in their distinctive Gulf livery, while the VR46 squad opted to hold off on revealing their special Pertamina title sponsor tribute until Sunday. Early expectations placed Aprilia as a strong favourite, a notion quickly validated as RS-GP rider Raul Fernandez set the initial benchmark at 1:31.0.
As the session progressed, lap times dropped rapidly. Fabio Di Giannantonio broke the 1:30 barrier before Fernandez responded with a 1:30.5 lap, placing him right in the ballpark of the previous year's pace. However, the tricky grip levels and heat caught several riders out, triggering a series of early crashes. Honda rookie Diogo Moreira slid out at Turn 1, followed shortly by high-speed incidents involving Trackhouse's Ai Ogura at Turn 7 and Gresini's Fermin Aldeguer at the opening corner.
Midway through the 45-minute session, Aprilia's competitive pace was underlined as Marco Bezzecchi stormed to the top of the timesheets with a lap of 1:30.132. Drama also unfolded in the traffic as reigning world championship contender Marc Marquez was forced wide into the gravel after a high-speed near-miss with Jack Miller.
The closing minutes saw a flurry of fast laps as Marquez utilized his GP26 package to snatch second place just before the chequered flag, slotting in behind Bezzecchi and ahead of Jorge Martin, rounding out a dynamic and incident-filled start to the Indonesian race weekend.
Baca Juga
Marco Bezzecchi amankan posisi teratas FP1 MotoGP Indonesia di Mandalika, dibayangi Marc Marquez dan Jorge Martin dalam sesi latihan pembuka.
Marco Bezzecchi kuasai latihan perdana MotoGP Mandalika, dibayangi Marc Marquez dan Jorge Martin dalam sesi pembuka yang diwarnai sejumlah insiden.
Marco Bezzecchi kuasai FP1 MotoGP Indonesia di Mandalika di depan Marc Marquez dan Jorge Martin. Simak laporan lengkap sesi latihan bebas pertama.
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