MotoGP Indonesia: Raul Fernandez Sets Lap Record as Aprilia Locks Out Top Three in Mandalika Practice

Lombok, Indonesia, October 9, 2026: Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) stormed to the top of the timesheets on Friday at the 2026 Indonesian MotoGP, setting a new all-time lap record at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit. The Spaniard clocked a stunning 1:28.725 to lead Marco Bezzecchi and championship leader Jorge Martin, giving Aprilia Racing a clean sweep of the top three in afternoon Practice.

Fernandez, who won the British Grand Prix, finished 0.219 seconds clear of Bezzecchi, while Martin was third as Aprilia continued its impressive form at the Indonesian Grand Prix. The session was marked by multiple crashes, with several riders fighting to secure direct entry into Saturday’s Q2 qualifying session.

The result also confirmed Aprilia’s status as the manufacturer to beat heading into the remainder of the weekend, with Bezzecchi having already topped Free Practice 1 earlier in the day.

Bezzecchi Leads FP1 as Marc Marquez and Martin Complete Top Three

Bezzecchi began the Indonesian GP weekend in commanding fashion, topping Free Practice 1 with a lap of 1:30.132. The Italian, who secured pole position and Sprint victory at Mandalika last year, finished 0.237 seconds ahead of reigning World Champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team).

Martin completed the top three in FP1, ensuring the championship-leading Aprilia rider remained firmly in contention ahead of the afternoon’s crucial Practice session.

Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was fourth, 0.294 seconds off Bezzecchi’s benchmark, while Fernandez placed fifth to give Aprilia three bikes inside the top five.

Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Fabio Di Giannantonio followed in sixth and seventh, respectively, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team) eighth. Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) finished ninth, ahead of Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) in tenth.

Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Aldeguer both crashed during FP1 but escaped injury. Ogura ended the session 21st, while Aldeguer recovered to finish ninth.

Fernandez Finds Record Pace in Practice

The afternoon session began with several riders looking to improve their positions and secure a place in the top ten, which guarantees direct progression to Q2.

Aldeguer was among the early fallers, crashing at the final corner, before Quartararo suffered a high-speed incident at Turn 9. Both riders were able to return to the track, with Quartararo eventually securing a place in the top ten.

As the session progressed, Fernandez emerged as the rider to beat, moving ahead of Di Giannantonio and establishing himself at the front. Bezzecchi remained in the leading group, while Marc Marquez and Morbidelli occupied positions inside the top five.

With around 15 minutes remaining, several prominent names were still outside the provisional Q2 positions. Alex Marquez, Di Giannantonio and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) needed to find additional pace to avoid the Q1 shootout.

Fernandez subsequently lowered the benchmark to 1:29.252 before producing a remarkable 1:28.725 to establish a new all-time lap record at Mandalika. No rider could match the time before the chequered flag, leaving the Spaniard firmly on top.

Multiple Crashes Disrupt Mandalika Practice

The session’s final stages were disrupted by a series of crashes, adding further uncertainty to the battle for direct Q2 entry.

Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) crashed at Turn 9, in an incident similar to Quartararo’s earlier fall. The Italian returned to the pits but needed to recover valuable track time after dropping to 17th. He later suffered a second crash, bringing a difficult Friday to a close.

Marc Marquez also had a major moment at Turn 1 after moving into second place, while Aldeguer’s Ducati came to a halt in the gravel. Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) crashed at Turn 11, ending his session and leaving the Brazilian outside the top ten.

Martin and Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) made late improvements, moving into third and tenth, respectively. Alex Marquez then crashed at Turn 16, leaving him seventh, before Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team) fell at the final corner.

The incidents meant several riders were left vulnerable heading into Saturday’s qualifying sessions, with the margins around the top-ten cutoff particularly tight.

MotoGP Indonesia Practice: Aprilia Locks Out Top Three

Fernandez’s record-breaking lap gave him a 0.219-second advantage over Bezzecchi, with Martin completing an all-Aprilia top three. The leading two were the only riders to break into the 1:28s during Practice.

Pedro Acosta delivered a solid performance to finish fourth, ahead of Marc Marquez in fifth. Di Giannantonio took sixth, while Quartararo secured seventh and direct entry into Q2.

Alex Marquez finished eighth despite his late crash, with Morbidelli ninth and Bagnaia completing the top ten after a late improvement.

The result highlighted the contrasting fortunes of the title contenders and their rivals. While Aprilia placed three riders at the top, Bagnaia had to fight until the closing moments to avoid Q1.

Rins, Miller and Aldeguer Face Q1 Battle

Rins narrowly missed the top ten, finishing just 0.090 seconds outside the cutoff. Miller was also less than a tenth away from securing direct Q2 entry.

Ogura finished 13th, followed by Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) in 14th, Aldeguer in 15th and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) in 16th.

Moreira and Bastianini also ended Friday outside the top ten following their crashes, setting up a competitive Q1 session on Saturday.

With Fernandez holding the lap record and Aprilia dominating both Friday sessions, the manufacturer heads into the remainder of the Indonesian GP weekend with considerable momentum. However, the tight margins behind the leading trio and the number of riders still searching for pace promise an intense qualifying battle at Mandalika.