2026 British MotoGP FP1: Alex Marquez Fastest at Silverstone

Alex Marquez opened the second half of the MotoGP season by topping Free Practice 1 at the 2026 British Grand Prix. The Gresini Ducati rider lapped Silverstone in 1m 58.692s, 0.173s clear of last year's Aprilia race winner Marco Bezzecchi.

KTM's Pedro Acosta, the first faller of the weekend at Stowe, rebounded to third on new rubber in the final minutes. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) used a new front tyre for fourth, ahead of Fabio di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati) and Marc Marquez (Lenovo Ducati).

Aprilia title leader Jorge Martin started the weekend in eighth, behind closest championship rival Ai Ogura. Practice, which decides the top ten riders for direct Qualifying 2 access, starts at 4pm local time.

Read AlsoAlex Marquez Fastest in MotoGP FP1 at Silverstone, Acosta Crashes

Martin leads the MotoGP standings by 14 points from fellow Aprilia rider Ai Ogura, with Ducati's reigning champion Marc Marquez just 18 from the top as the 2026 season restarts after the summer break. Martin's factory team-mate and former title leader Marco Bezzecchi has been relegated to fourth as he returns from a collarbone fracture in Germany.

Tech3's Maverick Vinales has withdrawn from the Silverstone round for further treatment on his shoulder injury, replaced by KTM test rider Pol Espargaro. Gresini's Fermin Aldeguer remains absent due to a vertebra fracture at Assen, with his seat taken by Ducati WorldSBK race winner and former MotoGP rider Iker Lecuona.

Lecuona makes his second Gresini appearance this season, after finishing seventh on his Ducati MotoGP debut at Balaton Park as an injury replacement for Alex Marquez. This time he rides the satellite-spec GP25 rather than factory GP26. Johann Zarco continues to be sidelined by knee ligament injuries, with LCR replacement Cal Crutchlow competing in a home British Grand Prix for the first time since 2021. Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez is making his latest wildcard appearance.