South Africa’s Brad Binder on a KTM RC 16 smashed the new circuit record with headlines-worthy speed, setting the pace for the official standings at the Motegi circuit in Japan for the MotoGP event.
The second session produced a true record, with Binder delivering a time of 1:43.489 that eclipsed the previous best set in 2015 by Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha YZR M1, which stood at 1:43.790. Italian Francesco Bagnaia on the Ducati Desmosedici GP23 and Spaniard Aleix Espargaró on the Aprilia RS-GP followed closely behind, signaling a fiercely competitive session where even the top speeds edged past the old mark. Bagnaia then recorded 1:43.518 and Aleix Espargaró 1:43.784, while Jorge Martín’s pace remained formidable, finishing with strong times though fourth overall.
Maverick Viñales, representing Aprilia, led early in the official app’s rankings, but his advantage was short-lived as Binder closed in with a gap of just 0.132 seconds. The first truly valid reference came when Jorge Martín, riding the Ducati Desmosedici GP23, clocked 1:44.895 on his fourth lap and improved to 1:44.724 on the fifth lap, signaling a shift in the session’s momentum.
The session’s surprise came from Fabio Quartararo on the Yamaha YZR M1, who initially qualified in fourth, trailing Martín by about four tenths of a second. As laps continued, Martín pulled ahead of Quartararo and soon after Miguel Oliveira on the Aprilia RS-GP closed the gap to within 22 thousandths of a second of Quartararo’s time, underscoring the tight competition.
Meanwhile, Spaniards dominated the narrative. Alex Rins attempted a comeback, but the toll of morning sessions limited his afternoon progress to only a handful of laps before the break. Marc Márquez on the Honda RC 213 V, sitting tenth, secured his place in the second class with a late surge that allowed him to push Oliveira down to third, a mere 0.076 seconds ahead.
With the final fifteen minutes approaching, the race for top times intensified. Aleix Espargaró briefly climbed to first on his fifteenth lap with a 1:44.387, but Binder and Martín stayed within striking distance, with Binder’s pace soon eclipsing the existing benchmarks and Bagnaia lurking close behind.
An accident occurred in the first tunnel at turn six when Fabio Quartararo crashed at high speed. The French rider did not hesitate to rise and continue, though his leather suit sustained damage and needed replacement as he returned to the track with his second bike after receiving assistance from crew members.
The session saw Binder, Martín, Espargaró, and Oliveira among the notable names performing at high levels, with Márquez, Zarco, and Viñales also showing strength. The final board listed Binder, Bagnaia, Espargaró, Martín, Bezzecchi, Di Giannantonio, Zarco, Viñales, Pol Espargaró, and Jack Miller as the top ten in the second class standings, while other riders of note clashed for position around the track’s diverse stretches.
Chantra, Canet and Lowes outperform Acosta
In Moto2, Thai rider Somkiat Chantra, Spaniard Aron Canet, and Brit Sam Lowes led the way on the first day of free practice in Motegi, surpassing world championship leader Pedro Acosta. Acosta had set the early benchmark in the morning but could not improve enough in the afternoon to reclaim top spot, finishing just behind the leaders by a narrow margin.
In the title fight, Italian Pedro Acosta’s main rival Tony Arbolino struggled to lower his morning lap time, concluding in a less favorable position, with Jeremy Alcoba and Sergio García Dols also facing setbacks as the day progressed, leaving several contenders outside the top tier as practice continued.
Masiá continues his dominant streak
In Moto3, Spain’s Jaume Masiá on a Honda carried forward a dominant run by posting the fastest times on day one of free practice for the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi. He led the standings with a best lap of 1:57.068, ahead of his Spanish compatriot Iván Ortolá on a KTM and Ayumu Sasaki on a Husqvarna, who were close behind. Daniel Holgado on a KTM sat in the mix as well, sharing proximity to the world leader and keeping the competition tight as the session progressed.
Diogo Moreira, a Brazilian rider on a KTM, set the pace for a period in the second round, with Dutch rider Collin Veijer on a Husqvarna moving into sixth while the Spaniards continued to push the pace with Daniel Holgado staying hot on the heels of Masiá’s time.
Overall, the proceedings highlighted a day of high-speed battles and tight gaps across the three classes, with practitioners and spectators watching the A-list riders push boundaries at Motegi, a track known for its demanding layout and historically fierce competition. The field remains crowded with talent, and the pressure to translate practice performance into race results looms large as the event moves toward qualification and race day, inviting further record attempts and dramatic moves on corner exits and straights alike.