Marco Bezzecchi narrowly defeated reigning world champion Marc Marquez during Friday afternoon practice for the San Marino Grand Prix, while Pecco Bagnaia plummeted to a disastrous 19th.
The factory Aprilia rider delivered a late 1:30.144 at the 4.2km Misano circuit, demoting Marquez by just 0.103 seconds. Alex Marquez completed the top three on his Gresini Ducati, fractionally behind his older brother.
Bagnaia Faces Fourth Consecutive Q1
While the Marquez brothers found immediate speed, Bagnaia endured a dismal afternoon on home soil. The former Misano winner finished 1.3 seconds adrift of Bezzecchi’s benchmark.
This deficit confines the factory Ducati rider to Q1 for the fourth consecutive grand prix weekend. His single-lap struggles contrast sharply with his teammate’s commanding pace.
Marquez had earlier topped the closely contested morning session before securing second in the afternoon. The glaring disparity within the Ducati Lenovo garage leaves engineers facing an urgent overnight dilemma.
The Italian manufacturer continues evaluating its wider premier-class roster, a dynamic highlighted by the strategic implications of Nicolo Bulega’s VR46 return next season.
Meanwhile, championship leader Jorge Martin narrowly secured a direct Q2 spot in 10th for Aprilia. Such fierce garage rivalries mirror the internal Antonelli-Russell title fight expected across the paddock in Formula 1.
The premier class now prepares for Saturday morning qualifying, where Bagnaia must navigate Q1 to salvage his Misano weekend.
