Johann Zarco Tops Rain-Hit MotoGP Practice at Brazil GP, Marc Marquez and Toprak Razgatlioglu Close Behind

Goiânia, Brazil, March 20, 2026: Johann Zarco emerged as the surprise pacesetter on a chaotic, rain-affected Day 1 of the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Brazil, leading the timesheets in a dramatic Practice session disrupted by changing weather conditions.

Riding for LCR Honda Castrol, Zarco clocked a blistering lap of 1:21.257 during the dry early stages, securing the top spot ahead of Marc Marquez of Ducati Lenovo Team and rookie sensation Toprak Razgatlioglu from Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP.

Rain Disrupts Crucial Practice Session

The session at Autodromo Internacional de Goiania – Ayrton Senna began under dry skies but with an imminent threat of rain. Riders wasted no time in setting fast laps on slick tyres, knowing conditions could deteriorate quickly.

Early drama unfolded as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed at Turn 4, triggering a chain of incidents at the same corner involving Jack Miller and home favourite Diogo Moreira.

As lap times tumbled, Jorge Martin and Marquez initially traded fastest laps before Zarco surged ahead to take control of the session. Meanwhile, Razgatlioglu impressed by climbing to third, ahead of Martin and championship leader Pedro Acosta.

Downpour Ends Q2 Hopes for Several Riders

With 30 minutes remaining, heavier rain swept across the circuit, effectively freezing the standings and dashing hopes of late improvements.

One of the biggest casualties was Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia Racing. The Thai Grand Prix winner was stranded in P20 when the rain intensified, leaving him headed for Q1. Despite a late attempt on slick tyres as conditions slightly improved, Bezzecchi failed to break into the top 10.

Similarly, Raul Fernandez endured a difficult outing, finishing outside the top 20 in a disappointing day for the Trackhouse squad.

Brazil GP Friday Top 10 Results

Behind Zarco, Marquez, and Razgatlioglu, the top 10 featured strong performances across manufacturers:

• P4: Jorge Martin
• P5: Pedro Acosta
• P6: Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP)
• P7: Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP)
• P8: Fermin Aldeguer
• P9: Francesco Bagnaia
• P10: Ai Ogura

A standout story was Aldeguer, who secured P8 despite limited pre-season testing and ongoing recovery from injury, underlining his resilience in tricky conditions.