The opening track action at Jerez began under cool but stable conditions, with a 21°C track, the Spanish Grand Prix weekend opened without weather complications, though the cloudy skies kept conditions far from optimal.
MotoGP FP1 Gets Underway
As MotoGP FP1 began, riders wasted little time establishing early reference points. Fabio Di Giannantonio set the initial pace with a 1m38.197s, narrowly ahead of Álex Márquez, before Joan Mir edged to the top with a 1m38.087s in the opening exchanges.
The order soon took on a familiar shape. A. Márquez moved ahead of Marc Márquez by 0.164s, with Di Giannantonio ensuring a Ducati lockout of the top three positions. Marco Bezzecchi emerged as the leading non-Ducati runner in fourth, maintaining close proximity to the front group.
Mid-Session Runs
Attention also turned to Ducati’s ongoing aerodynamic evolution. Following the introduction of leg wing concepts in Texas, mirroring Aprilia’s earlier innovation, the package has now expanded. Álex Márquez debuted both the updated configuration and a new rear wing this weekend, underlining Ducati’s continued push for marginal gains.
As the session progressed past its midpoint, riders cycled through the pits before returning for extended runs. With over 25 minutes remaining, the focus shifted toward refining setups and preparing for late-session time attacks.
Late Improvements And Session Shake-Up
In the closing stages, fresh tyres proved decisive. Di Giannantonio capitalised on new rubber to surge back to the top of the timesheets, displacing the Márquez brothers who had controlled much of the earlier running.
Their early dominance was interrupted midway through the session by Aprilia’s championship leader Marco Bezzecchi, who briefly split the pair and inserted himself firmly into contention. Jorge Martín, fresh from his COTA Sprint success, suffered a fall after the session while returning for practice starts. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s session was curtailed by a technical issue on his Pramac Yamaha, forcing him to stop on track at the midway point and limiting his ability to contribute to the late-session improvements.
Competitive Picture Emerges
As the opening practice concluded, Di Giannantonio’s late lap secured top honours in a session defined by evolving pace and shifting order. Ducati’s strength was evident throughout, while Bezzecchi ensured Aprilia remained firmly in the mix.
With incidents, technical developments, and early signs of a closely matched field, FP1 offered an initial but meaningful glimpse into the competitive landscape at Jerez. The combination of cool conditions and continuous improvements suggests there is considerably more to come as the weekend unfolds.