Lusail, Qatar, November 7, 2026: Fabio Di Giannantonio delivered a stunning performance under the floodlights to top Friday’s practice session at the 2026 Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix, setting a new lap record at the Lusail International Circuit and securing his place in Saturday’s Q2 qualifying session.

The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team rider clocked a fastest lap of 1:50.406 to finish 0.142 seconds ahead of reigning World Champion Marc Marquez of Ducati Lenovo Team. Marco Bezzecchi led Aprilia’s charge in third, while Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia finished fourth.

Di Giannantonio’s performance capped an eventful session that saw several riders fight for direct entry into Q2, with the Italian producing his record-breaking lap in the closing stages to take control of the timesheets.

Di Giannantonio and Marquez lead the Ducati challenge

Di Giannantonio quickly established himself as a contender after improving his pace significantly from the opening practice session. His initial benchmark of 1:51.174 was already more than 1.5 seconds quicker than his FP1 time.

Marc Marquez and team-mate Francesco Bagnaia were initially fifth and sixth before the reigning champion suffered an unexpected setback. With just under 30 minutes remaining, the chain came off his Ducati GP26, forcing him to return to the pits and interrupting his second run.

Marquez was back on track with approximately 18 minutes remaining and immediately demonstrated his pace. The Spaniard moved to the top of the timesheets with a 1:50.925, becoming the first rider to break into the 1:50s at Lusail this weekend.

However, Di Giannantonio responded with an outstanding final effort of 1:50.406, establishing a new circuit lap record. Marquez improved again but could not match the VR46 rider, finishing just 0.142 seconds behind.

Bezzecchi leads impressive Aprilia showing

Aprilia enjoyed a competitive Friday, with Marco Bezzecchi leading the manufacturer’s challenge by securing third place.

Jorge Martin also delivered an encouraging performance for Aprilia Racing. Returning after sitting out most of the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend, the 2024 MotoGP World Champion showed improved form to finish seventh and secure direct entry into Q2.

Martin’s performance was particularly significant after his difficulties at Sepang, where he had struggled before withdrawing from Saturday’s action.

Trackhouse MotoGP Team riders Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura also impressed. Fernandez finished fifth, while Ogura produced a late improvement to secure ninth place, giving Aprilia machinery three riders inside the top five and four inside the top nine.

Pedro Acosta faces Q1 after difficult Friday

Pedro Acosta was among the biggest names to miss out on direct qualification for Q2. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider finished 14th and will have to compete in Q1 to fight for a place in the second qualifying session.

Acosta finished behind Fermin Aldeguer, who was 11th on his return, VR46 rider Franco Morbidelli in 12th and Honda’s Luca Marini in 13th.

Enea Bastianini secured sixth place for Red Bull KTM Tech3, while team-mate Brad Binder completed the top 10 in another encouraging result for KTM.

Maverick Viñales endured a difficult session after encountering a technical issue, finishing 15th. Iker Lecuona was 16th, followed by Diogo Moreira in 17th and Jake Dixon in 18th.

Johann Zarco secured eighth place for Castrol Honda LCR, ensuring another Honda rider made it directly into Q2.

Qatar MotoGP: Friday Practice Results

The top 10 riders secured direct entry into Q2, while the remaining competitors will have to progress through Q1.

1. Fabio Di Giannantonio – VR46 – 1:50.406
2. Marc Marquez – Ducati Lenovo – 1:50.548 (+0.142s)
3. Marco Bezzecchi – Aprilia Racing
4. Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo
5. Raul Fernandez – Trackhouse
6. Enea Bastianini – KTM Tech3
7. Jorge Martin – Aprilia Racing
8. Johann Zarco – Castrol Honda LCR
9. Ai Ogura – Trackhouse
10. Brad Binder – Red Bull KTM

With the entire field covered by less than two seconds, the competitive order promises an intriguing qualifying battle.