Marco Bezzecchi nearly highsided off his factory Aprilia exiting Turn 11 in Friday’s opening practice for the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Bezzecchi Motegi scare sent him straight back to the pitlane, where he chose to wait rather than risk another fall. Rain, low temperatures and a lack of reference from last year’s visit left Turn 11 deceptive for much of the morning. Bezzecchi still finished the day fourth, just behind Alex Marquez.
Primary Source Attribution & Official Details
Bezzecchi didn’t hide how close the moment had been. Describing the rear end stepping out as he ran wide off the corner, he said: “I started the day immediately with my ass like ‘this’; with a massive save.”
I was super lucky. If I have to say how I saved it, honestly, I don’t know. It was just a matter of luck. I was ready, but sometimes you save it and sometimes you don’t – you are doing the same things on the bike.
The scare was enough to send him back to the garage rather than push on. “I went straight to the box, I said, ‘let’s wait a little bit’, because this season I already had enough [crashes],” he told the original report, in comments that point to a season already full of setbacks.
Squad Impact & Tactical Context
The Bezzecchi Motegi scare was not the only fall at Turn 11 that morning. Honda wildcard Takaaki Nakagami crashed at the same corner and was ruled out for the rest of the weekend.
Bezzecchi was asked about Nakagami’s enforced absence and praised the Japanese rider’s presence at his home round. “But also in Japan, as a Japanese rider, it was good to have him here for the fans in general. So hopefully he can come back here soon,” he said.
His own caution fits a season that has already brought him down from leading positions more than once, as detailed in our Misano crash report and the San Marino sprint update. Those crashes left him with both a knee injury and a shoulder injury.
He still ended the day fourth overall, close behind Marquez, and well placed among the front runners. “Fortunately, I’m in the mix, so I’ll try to improve and be closer to the top,” he said, before summing up a tricky morning simply: “It was decent. Decent FP1, decent practice, decent time attack. Overall, a decent day.”
What Happens Next / Upcoming Timeline
Nakagami takes no further part in the Japanese Grand Prix after his Turn 11 crash, leaving Honda without its wildcard for the rest of the weekend. Bezzecchi carries his fourth place pace into Saturday’s remaining practice and qualifying at Motegi, still searching for clean track time after a Friday shaped by rain and changeable conditions.
Supporters can follow the rest of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, and the wider championship picture, through our latest talking points.
