MotoGP Australia 2025: Bezzecchi Shatters Lap Record as Aprilia Dominates Phillip Island Practice

Phillip Island, Australia – October 17, 2025: Talk about domination! Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) stole the spotlight at the Liqui Moly Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, smashing the all-time Phillip Island lap record with an astonishing 1:26.492. The Italian rider comfortably topped Friday’s MotoGP Practice session, putting Aprilia firmly in control ahead of Saturday’s qualifying.

Backing up Bezzecchi’s blistering pace was fellow Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), who surged late in the session to secure P2, completing a stunning Aprilia 1-2 finish. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) rounded out the top three, while the most recent race winner Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) narrowly missed a Q2 spot despite a strong effort.

Record-Breaking Practice at Phillip Island

The session began dramatically as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) struggled with his primary bike setup before switching machines — a move that helped the reigning champion climb to P5 early on. Meanwhile, Bezzecchiand Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) traded fastest laps before Di Giannantonio briefly took control with a 1:27.483.

Amid gusty conditions, Jack Miller thrilled home fans by briefly going fastest on his Prima Pramac Yamaha, only for Bezzecchi to obliterate the timing sheets with a 1:27.099 — and moments later, an even quicker 1:26.580, breaking the existing lap record by 0.666s.

Bezzecchi wasn’t done yet. In the closing minutes, he went even faster with a jaw-dropping 1:26.492, extending his advantage to more than four-tenths. Fernandez then jumped to P2 with a superb late effort, while Di Giannantonio retained P3 as the top Ducati rider.

Top 10: Aprilia Leads, Bagnaia Scrapes Through

The final top 10 from Practice set the tone for a thrilling Saturday:

1. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) – 1:26.492
2. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) +0.3s
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)
4. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha)
5. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP)
6. Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha)
7. Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol)
8. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3)
9. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)
10. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)

Aldeguer just missed the cut by a mere 0.005s, meaning the Spanish sensation will have to battle through Q1 alongside Brad Binder, Jack Miller, Joan Mir, and Johann Zarco — setting the stage for a tense qualifying showdown.

What’s Next at the Australian GP

Saturday at Phillip Island promises high drama, with Q1 set to feature several big names and pole position up for grabs. With Bezzecchi in record-breaking form and Aprilia enjoying a dream start, all eyes will be on whether the Italian can carry his dominance into qualifying and Sunday’s main race.