Australian rider Jack Miller, aboard the Ducati Desmosedici GP22, clocked the fastest lap on the opening day of the Japanese MotoGP Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit, edging competitors by a slim 0.288 seconds to lead a tightly bunched field spanning the top ten.
Special mention goes to Spaniard Marc Márquez riding the Repsol Honda RC 213V, who acknowledged the challenge of the first day on this track. He posted the sixth-fastest time among twenty riders, trailing Miller by only 0.147 seconds and within striking distance of the leaders as the session moved forward.
MotoGP practice was cut short for some by rain, though the surface remained dry enough for riders to push hard. The session highlighted the season leaders on track first, with the championship leader and defending world champion Fabio Quartararo leading the way, followed by Miller and Alex Rins aboard the Suzuki GSX-RR. The day’s single practice lasted a lengthy 75 minutes, setting a frantic pace and signaling many possible changes as the session evolved.
Quartararo established early benchmarks with a best time of 1:45.807, just ahead of Miller by 0.096 seconds and Rins by 0.175 seconds, while Márquez held sixth among the 20 riders, close to the front yet still chasing the leading pace.
A fresh attempt to induce rain did not derail plans; riders stayed focused and the track remained mostly dry, with Quartararo continuing to set the pace as the main reference point.
It was then Francesco Bagnaia, the Ducati rider nicknamed Pecco, who rose quickly to challenge the pace, moving within 0.145 seconds of Quartararo. One lap later, Alex Rins climbed to first with a 1:45.738, pushing Quartararo down to second by a slim margin of 0.069 seconds.
Next, Aleix Espargaró and Johann Zarco improved their personal bests, climbing toward the top, as the session continued to unfold without rain hampering progress for the moment. Maverick Viñales, Espargaró’s teammate at Aprilia, joined the top ranks, slotting fourth just 0.200 seconds behind Zarco.
Further improvements followed, and Bastianini eyed a strong lap in the late phase. Zarco briefly held the top time, but Oliveira and Quartararo overtook him as the battle intensified. The leading time hovered around 1:44.9, signaling a fast overall test for the grid.
Marc Márquez endured a rough patch mid-session, dropping down the order before climbing back into the top five on the next lap with a time just over 1:45.2. Alex Rins then shaved another edge off the benchmark, posting a 1:44.913 to climb ahead of several rivals. The day’s dynamic included Miller’s bold push toward a new best, with a 1:44.660 setting a demanding target for the remaining minutes.
As the final stretch approached, Miller and Bagnaia inched closer to the fastest marks, with Quartararo hanging in the mix and Aleix Espargaró and Zarco continuing to nudge the times. Marc Márquez stayed in or near the top six, with Pol Espargaró, Brad Binder, Miguel Oliveira, and Viñales following in the hunt for a strong second classification slot. The field remained tightly packed as the session moved toward its close.
In Moto2, Augusto Fernández led the standings on the opening day at Motegi, the Kalex rider setting the pace as rain began to threaten the track. Fernández built a narrow advantage over Chantra and Ai Ogura in a tense battle, aided by the arrival of Spaniard Pedro Acosta late in the final phase. The wet conditions added uncertainty to the session, but Fernández held firm at the summit.
During the opening Moto2 session, Arón Canet briefly led before Chantra moved ahead, with Fernández asserting himself again at the top. Teammate Somkiat Chantra and the world champion contender Ogura chased the leaders, and the field also saw strong performances from Diogo Moreira, who challenged the frontrunners in the closing laps. Izan Guevara, the series leader, finished mid-pack in seventh, while the Moto3 contingent began their lone practice under a mix of dry and potential rain risks.
These early sessions at Motegi underscored a highly competitive start to the weekend, with every manufacturer and rider eyeing the long race schedule and the evolving weather forecast as the weekend progresses. The Japanese Grand Prix remains a critical point in the season, testing speed, consistency, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions.
References from race coverage and live reports noted the action from DAZN Spain and other outlets as the practice unfolded, providing ongoing analysis of the day’s key performances and standings.