MotoGP – Barcelona Catalonia Practice LIVE: Acosta in control, Zarco and Quartararo in Q2

The message sent this Friday morning in Montmelò was stark. Very stark indeed. Because beyond Alex Marquez's fastest time, this first free practice session for the Catalan Grand Prix primarily confirmed a trend that is beginning to obsess the MotoGP paddock: Aprilia is now the technical benchmark of the championship… while Ducati seems to be sinking into an increasingly visible crisis of confidence.

Alex Marquez, winner here in 2025, made a strong statement with a time of 1'39''950 achieved in the final minutes thanks to a soft front tire. A clear, clean, authoritative performance. But beyond this best time, it's above all the image left by George Martin which made a lasting impression.

Because before his spectacular crash at turn 12, the 2024 world champion was literally giving a demonstration with his Aprilia RS-GP26And what a demonstration it was.

The Madrid native seemed to float through the sweeping curves of Barcelona, ​​with that almost insolent fluidity that now characterizes theAprilia version 2026. Even his fall ultimately didn't prevent driver #89 from finishing second, just 0.349 seconds behind. by Alex Marquez.

Above all, the most impressive aspect lies elsewhere: despite the impact against the barriers and the collision with his own motorcycle, Martin returned calmly to the garage, leaving behind a very clear impression in the paddock: he is currently riding with total confidence.

Behind him, Fabio DiGiannantonio He too continues to maintain the idea that he has become the pilot Ducati the most solid at the moment. Third with the GP26 of the VR46 Racing Team, the Italian confirms race after race that he is now much more than an opportunistic outsider.

His future transfer to KTM in 2027 almost looks like a masterstroke given the current dynamics.

Then comes the realization that begins to become terribly embarrassing for Ducati while the Aprilia They dominate the debates, the official red drivers collapse.

The ultimate symbol? Francis BagnaiaOnly 17th. Nearly a second behind. And, most importantly, unable to hide his struggles despite a long stint on worn tires for sixteen laps. No panic in the Italian champion's camp, however. Bagnaia chose to set the pace for Sunday's race. His pure lap time is irrelevant.

The image is terrible for the two-time world champion. MotoGPEven more so after the controversies in Le Mans around its braking problems, now publicly disputed by Davide Tardozzi.

A taste of the battle for Q2 in Catalonia

Meanwhile, Aprilia several motorcycles are still at the forefront: Marco Bezzecchi fifth, Ai Ogura still dangerous despite a discreet 18th place, and Raul Fernandez solid in the top 15.

The overall impression is clear: theAprilia It works everywhere. And that's probably what worries people the most. Ducati Today. Because in the past, Borgo Panigale dominated thanks to an almost structural technical superiority. Now, that feeling has changed sides.

Even the KTM sometimes give the impression of being more stable in their current progression. Pedro Acosta continues to display impressive aggression despite his fall, whileEnea Bastianini place the Tech3 in the top 6.

The return of Maverick Vinales It also attracts attention, even though the Spaniard is understandably still cautious after his shoulder surgery. The goal was to assess his physical condition rather than chase a fast time.

On the Japanese side, the hierarchy remains extremely contrasting. Johann zarco saves the honor of Honda with a presence in the top 10, while the rookie Diogo Moreira impresses again with a superb 11th place, only six tenths of a second off the best time.

At Yamaha On the other hand, the euphoria of Le Mans already seems to be subsiding slightly. fabio quartararo finished only 14th, while Jack Miller saves appearances with an encouraging eighth place for Pramac.

But the main lesson lies elsewhere. This championship is undergoing a psychological shift.

And this Friday morning in Barcelona may have definitively confirmed what many were only beginning to suspect after Le Mans: Aprilia no longer lives a simple moment of form. Aprilia has become the target to beat. What will this Practice, which feels like a pre-qualification, hold in store for us? Before we find out, here's a table summarizing the facts known so far.

MotoGP™ Catalonia – Barcelona, ​​Spain	2025	2026
FP1	1'38.979 Pedro Acosta (See here)	1'39.950 Alex Marquez (See here)
Practice	1'38.171 Brad Binder (See here)	1'38.710s Pedro Acosta
FP2	1'39.119 Joan Mir (See here)	(See here)
Q1	1'37.926 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	(See here)
Q2	1'37.539 Alex Marquez (See here)	(See here)
Sprint	Marc Marquez, Quartararo, Di Giannantonio (See here)	(See here)
Warm Up	1'38.826 Marco Bezzecchi (See here)	(See here)
Grand Prix	Alex Marquez, Marc Marquez, Enea Bastianini (See here)	(See here)
All time lap record	1'37.539 Alex Marquez 2025 (See here)

P1

Catalonia