Pedro Acosta Fastest in Catalunya MotoGP Practice

Pedro Acosta finished fastest in MotoGP Practice at the 2026 Catalan Grand Prix after leading the session for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing with a best lap of 1m38.710s at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The Spanish rider edged out Alex Marquez from BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP by just 0.018 seconds, while team-mate Brad Binder completed the top three only 0.070 seconds off the pace.

The session proved extremely competitive, with the top 10 separated by less than three tenths of a second. Barcelona’s demanding layout, which heavily rewards front-end stability and rear tyre management, allowed several manufacturers to remain closely matched throughout the one-hour outing.

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KTM appeared to make a notable step forward compared to previous rounds, particularly under heavy braking and slow-corner acceleration. Acosta consistently maximised performance through Barcelona’s second and final sectors, which became decisive for overall lap time.

Raul Fernandez placed Trackhouse MotoGP Team fourth, while Johann Zarco once again delivered a strong performance for Castrol Honda LCR inside the top five.

Fabio Di Giannantonio, Marco Bezzecchi, and Joan Mir also secured direct Q2 progression despite another difficult session for Mir after the Honda HRC Castrol rider suffered another crash in Barcelona.

Another major incident also involved Jorge Martin, who had shown competitive pace for Aprilia Racing before crashing again. Martin had already fallen earlier during FP1, increasing concerns regarding his physical condition ahead of Saturday qualifying.

Fabio Quartararo finished inside the top 10 for Yamaha, while Francesco Bagnaia could manage only 12th position for Ducati Lenovo Team, directly behind Enea Bastianini.

Yamaha wildcard rider Toprak Razgatlioglu ended the session 19th for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP, while Maverick Vinales completed his comeback weekend in 20th after returning from a lengthy shoulder injury absence.

The Practice results highlighted how closely matched KTM, Aprilia, Ducati, and Honda have become as track conditions continued evolving throughout the Barcelona weekend. Tyre grip and temperature management are expected to remain critical factors heading into qualifying and the Sprint Race.