There were three falls in the morning(Franco Morbidelli<\/a> doubled up) and two in the afternoon. Nothing remarkable. The track surface itself was offering enough grip \u2013 and, it must be said, asphalt run-off areas \u2013 for most riders to stay upright most of the time.<\/p>\n Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing<\/p>\n Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography \/ LAT Images \/ via Getty Images<\/p>\n There was only one serious case of riders tripping over each other, as Fabio di Giannantonio<\/a> got in the way of Alex Marquez<\/a>, who in turn baulked both Jack Miller<\/a> and Francesco Bagnaia<\/a>, resulting in a brief period of gesticulation and ill will. And that may simply have been down to first-day unfamiliarity rather than the start of a weekend-long trend.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it\u2019s a new track, it\u2019s difficult for riders to know where to stop or where to avoid that kind of problem,\u201d explained Alex semi-apologetically at the end of the day.<\/p>\n The stewards evidently didn\u2019t accept this as an excuse, and slapped Marquez with a grid penalty for Sunday\u2019s race. Dropping three spots means he will go into a second consecutive grand prix with a handicap \u2013 the Gresini Ducati rider had a long lap penalty to serve last time out in Austria.<\/p>\n Miller managed to emerge as both sinner and victim in the same incident, as he will also be demoted three positions on Sunday for impeding Bagnaia.<\/p>\n The 17 corners \u2013 many of them flappity-flop chicanes \u2013 come thick and fast on MotoGP bikes, which gobbled them up in under 100 seconds. Television viewers prone to seasickness are advised to look away during on-board camera shots this weekend. But the riders didn\u2019t find Balaton Park at all ridiculous, generally giving the circuit the thumbs-up despite all those fears coming into the first Hungarian GP since the Budapest races in the 1990s.<\/p>\n World champion Martin described the layout as \u201cfun.\u201d KTM\u2019s Brad Binder<\/a> called it \u201cpretty neat\u201d as well as \u201csick\u201d (though not in the sort of way that strikes on a rolling boat). Morbidelli bore the circuit no grudge despite his tumbles, saying, \u201cI like the track.\u201d<\/p>\n Points leader Marc Marquez<\/a> took some winning over at first. Although he then made his peace with the track and was only six thousands of a second off Pedro Acosta<\/a>\u2019s pace at the end of practice, he obliged the media by referencing a certain form of junior motorsport many had used to disparage the layout in the build-up.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t enjoy FP1 because it was super tight,\u201d said Marc. \u201cI mean everything arrived super fast, it was like karting. But then you get used to it. In the end, it\u2019s a bike on a circuit. A slower circuit, but a different layout and we must adapt.\u201d<\/p>\n Marc Marquez, Ducati Team<\/p>\n Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography \/ LAT Images \/ via Getty Images<\/p>\n What did come in for targeted criticism, to varying degrees, were some of the three ultra-tight chicanes. \u201cThe chicanes are insanely slow, so it took a lot of getting used to,\u201d said Binder. \u201cThey are super Mickey Mouse. That\u2019s the only thing that I can\u2019t say I enjoy too much.\u201d<\/p>\n Fernandez was also outspoken about the tortuous, one-line switchbacks, which certainly weren\u2019t a good look on television. Apart from their general lack of appeal, he also saw them as a potential trouble spot.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have two chicanes that are not really nice on the MotoGP bike,\u201d said the Trackhouse Aprilia man. \u201cThey are super slow. If you are alone, I think it\u2019s not really bad. But when you arrive there with 20 bikes around you, it will be very difficult to manage. Especially because if you crash on the first [part], I don\u2019t think you have enough space to stop the bike.<\/p>\n \u201cI think if you crash, the bike will arrive to the second chicane. I think the circuit is safe, but at these two points, I think they have to find a solution for the future. Because these two chicanes, I think, are not the best for the track, and also [not] for the show.\u201d<\/p>\n Ah yes, what about that show then? At least the riders didn\u2019t unanimously dismiss the notion of any overtaking at Balaton Park in the races on Saturday and Sunday.<\/p>\n![\"Jorge](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1755909131_370_jorge-martin-aprilia-racing.jpg\")
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![\"Marco](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1755909131_181_marco-bezzecchi-aprilia-racing.jpg\")
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