LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco topped a chaotic MotoGP Brazilian Grand Prix Practice, with Toprak Razgatlioglu third as Thailand winner Marco Bezzecchi dropped into Q1.
Spots of rain falling on the Ayrton Senna circuit moments before the hour-long Practice began led to a busy start to the session, as everyone headed out straight away.
The riders would only get around 30 minutes of usable dry running before the rain grew too heavy for any lap time improvements.
LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco’s 1m21.257s set inside the first 10 minutes of running would ultimately stand as the benchmark to the chequered flag.
He headed reigning world champion Marc Marquez on the factory team Ducati, while Pramac Yamaha rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu stunned by securing a maiden Q2 appearance in third.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
The big shock of the session came in the form of Thai Grand Prix winner Marco Bezzecchi, who struggled for pace in the tricky conditions on his factory Aprilia.
He could do no better than 20th, leaving him in Q1 for Saturday morning’s qualifying session.
The chaotic start to the Practice session saw top spot change hands numerous times, with the likes of Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin, and then Zarco serving stints at the top of the standings.
Turn 4 caught out three riders in quick succession inside the opening 10 minutes, with KTM’s Brad Binder the first to go down.
He was followed into the gravel moments later by Pramac’s Jack Miller, before LCR Honda’s Diogo Moreira slid off at the same place.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Those crashes proved costly for the trio, who all failed to secure a direct Q2 spot inside the top 10.
Zarco’s 1m21.257s put him 0.125s clear of Marquez, while Razgatlioglu managed a 1m21.565s.
Martin held onto fourth in the leading factory Aprilia, while championship leader Pedro Acosta was fifth on the leading KTM.
Alex Marquez managed to secure a Q2 place through the tricky conditions on his Gresini Ducati in sixth, as Fabio Quartararo got his Yamaha into seventh.
Fermin Aldeguer bagged a Q2 place for his first race weekend of the year on the sister Gresini Ducati, while Pecco Bagnaia was ninth on the second of the factory team Ducatis.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Ai Ogura was the second Aprilia to make it into Q2 in 10th for Trackhouse, 0.021s clear of Honda’s Luca Marini in 11th.
Both VR46 Ducatis struggled in 18th for Franco Morbidelli and 19th for Fabio Di Giannantonio, with the former stopping on track with just under 20 minutes of the session completed after running out of fuel.
Bezzecchi wasn’t the only Aprilia podium finisher in Thailand to struggle on Friday afternoon, as Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez was 21st.
Enea Bastianini was so slow in Practice at 4.7s off the pace that he wasn’t officially classified in the standings on his Tech3 KTM.
Full 2026 MotoGP Brazilian Grand Prix Practice results
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Subscribe to our MotoGP Newsletter