Raul Fernandez set a new all-time Mandalika lap record to lead Friday practice for the Indonesian MotoGP Grand Prix, putting the Trackhouse Aprilia rider 0.219 seconds clear of Aprilia factory rider Marco Bezzecchi. Championship leader Jorge Martin completed an Aprilia top three, while the top 10 secured direct places in Saturday’s second qualifying session.
Fernandez produced a 1:28.725 lap in the closing stages of a crash-filled session at Mandalika. MotoGP reported that he was one of only two riders to break into the 1:28s, alongside Bezzecchi, and that the time surpassed the circuit’s previous all-time benchmark.
The result placed Fernandez ahead of Bezzecchi and Martin by 0.219 and 0.481 seconds respectively. Autosport MotoGP reported that Fernandez had been consistently quick throughout the day, with the Aprilia trio the only riders within half a second of the fastest time.
MotoGP reported that Fernandez first lowered the benchmark to 1:29.252 before improving again by 0.527 seconds to establish the 1:28.725 record. Bezzecchi’s 1:28.944 was the only other lap in the 1:28s, while Martin’s 1:29.206 put him 0.262 seconds behind his Aprilia team-mate. The margins meant all three Aprilias were separated by less than half a second despite Fernandez’s final improvement giving him a clear advantage at the top of the classification.
Aprilia claim the three leading places
The combined outcome gives Aprilia a notably strong starting point for qualifying. Fernandez, Bezzecchi and Martin all advanced directly to Q2 and therefore do not need to compete in Q1.
Martin was 0.262 seconds behind Bezzecchi, meaning the three Aprilias were covered by 0.481 seconds from first to third. Fernandez and Bezzecchi were also the only riders below 1:29, according to MotoGP, while Martin’s 1:29.206 was still enough to complete the manufacturer sweep.
Pedro Acosta was fourth for KTM, 0.669 seconds away from Fernandez’s record. Marc Marquez took fifth for Ducati, 0.701 seconds back, with VR46 Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio sixth. The gap from Fernandez to Marquez was therefore 0.701 seconds, more than three times Fernandez’s advantage over Bezzecchi, underlining how closely matched the first two Aprilias were compared with the leading non-Aprilia riders.
Di Giannantonio’s sixth-place time was 1:29.430, 0.004 seconds slower than Marc Marquez’s 1:29.426. Quartararo followed with a 1:29.558 and Alex Marquez recorded 1:29.572, leaving only 0.014 seconds between seventh and eighth. Morbidelli was ninth on 1:29.693 before Bagnaia’s 1:29.786 secured the final automatic Q2 position.
Fabio Quartararo finished seventh despite a heavy fall at Turn 9. Both MotoGP and Autosport reported that the Yamaha rider returned to the circuit after the incident and improved sufficiently to progress. Alex Marquez was eighth after crashing late in the session, Franco Morbidelli ninth and Francesco Bagnaia claimed the final automatic Q2 place in 10th.
Late crashes change the Q1 picture
Friday’s top 10 cut-off was particularly tight. Alex Rins missed it by 0.090 seconds in 11th, while Jack Miller was 12th and 0.097 seconds behind Bagnaia’s 10th-place lap. Their margins show that a small improvement would have changed the direct-qualifying line-up, but both must instead begin Saturday in Q1.
Rins’s 1:29.876 was followed by Miller’s 1:29.883, a difference of only 0.007 seconds. Ai Ogura was 13th on 1:29.954, with Luca Marini 14th in 1:30.037. The classification placed Aldeguer 15th on 1:30.151, meaning he was 0.365 seconds away from Bagnaia’s final top-10 time.
Rins fell at the final corner in the closing minutes, leaving him vulnerable as rivals improved. Enea Bastianini also crashed twice, including a late fall, and ended the day 21st. He will join Rins and Miller in Q1, along with Trackhouse Aprilia rider Ai Ogura, who was 13th after falling in the morning session.
Fermin Aldeguer’s Friday was more difficult still. The 2025 Indonesian Grand Prix winner crashed in the morning, fell again early in practice and then suffered what Autosport described as an apparent technical issue when he needed to attempt faster laps. He finished 15th, 1.426 seconds behind Fernandez, and will have to advance from Q1 if he is to reach Q2.
For Fernandez, the lap record gives him direct passage to Q2 alongside Bezzecchi and Martin. Friday’s one-two-three has ensured that the three Aprilias in the top three avoid the additional Q1 hurdle on Saturday.