Fabio Di Giannantonio Tops Qatar GP Practice: Who Is Through to Q2

Fabio Di Giannantonio set the fastest lap during Friday afternoon Practice at the Lusail International Circuit, leading the timing sheets for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team. The 28-year-old Italian recorded a best time of 1m50.406s under the floodlights in Doha.

He finished 0.142s ahead of Ducati Lenovo Team rider Marc Marquez, who clocked a 1m50.548s lap. Aprilia Racing rider Marco Bezzecchi took third position with a lap of 1m50.666s, just 0.260s off the top time.

For newcomers to the championship, Friday afternoon Practice awards no championship points and does not decide Sunday’s starting grid. Instead, it is the sole session on Friday that determines which riders advance directly to the decisive qualifying round on Saturday afternoon.

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Why was this Practice session so important?

In MotoGP, the Friday afternoon timed session is simply called Practice. It carries huge stakes because the ten quickest riders earn direct entry into Qualifying 2, commonly known as Q2. To learn how the weekend is structured, read our guide on how practice sessions work.

Reaching Q2 guarantees a rider will start no lower than 12th on the grid for both Saturday’s Sprint and Sunday’s main race. Riders who miss the top ten must take part in Qualifying 1 (Q1), a sudden-death session on Saturday where only the two fastest riders earn promotion into Q2.

Because overtaking at modern tracks requires significant tyre life and physical effort, securing an automatic Q2 place spares riders from burning an extra set of soft tyres and taking unnecessary risks early in the weekend.

Who earned an automatic spot in Q2?

Behind Di Giannantonio, Marquez, and Bezzecchi, Francesco Bagnaia ended Friday in fourth place with a lap of 1m50.792s. The 29-year-old, who won the 2018 Moto2 world title and the 2022 and 2023 MotoGP titles, finished 0.386s behind the top spot.

Raul Fernandez put his SuperFile Trackhouse Aprilia into fifth with a 1m51.014s, narrowly edging Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider Enea Bastianini, who was sixth on 1m51.024s. Former MotoGP champion Jorge Martin, who won the 2018 Moto3 title and 2024 MotoGP title, was cleared by circuit doctors on Friday morning and placed seventh with a 1m51.041s.

The final automatic positions went to Johann Zarco in eighth on 1m51.301s, Ai Ogura in ninth on 1m51.318s, and Brad Binder in tenth on 1m51.409s. Binder claimed the final direct transfer spot by a slender margin, leaving the rest of the field to fight through Q1.

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Which big names are trapped in Q1?

Starting Saturday in Q1 is always stressful, and several experienced race winners now face an uphill battle. If you want a complete breakdown of the knockout system, take a look at our guide on how qualifying works.

Fermin Aldeguer narrowly missed the top ten, finishing 11th on the timing screens. He was followed by Franco Morbidelli in 12th and Honda HRC Castrol rider Luca Marini in 13th.

The biggest surprise of the session was Pedro Acosta. The 22-year-old, who won the 2021 Moto3 title and 2023 Moto2 title, could manage only 14th on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine. Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider Maverick Viñales finished 15th, while Iker Lecuona, 2026 rookie Diogo Moreira, and Jake Dixon rounded out positions 16 through 18.

With only two promotion spots available in Q1, several established names are guaranteed to start this weekend’s races from 13th place or lower.

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What does this mean for the championship chase?

Reigning world champion Marc Marquez arrived in Qatar as the championship leader, holding a 44-point cushion at the summit. Despite suffering a bike issue during Practice, the 33-year-old still finished second and secured a direct place in Q2.

Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi, who both remain mathematically able to win the championship, also did what they needed to do by finishing seventh and third respectively. That keeps them in the hunt for front-row grid spots on Saturday.

In contrast, Pedro Acosta, who is also still mathematically in contention, faces a much harder weekend. Having to negotiate Q1 places him under immediate pressure if he hopes to keep his mathematical chances alive before Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Quick Takeaways

• Fabio Di Giannantonio topped Friday Practice in Qatar with a lap of 1m50.406s, leading Marc Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi.
• The top ten riders secured direct progression into Saturday’s Q2 qualifying session, guaranteeing a starting spot in the top 12.
• Title contender Marc Marquez safely made the cut in second place, while Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi also advanced.
• Pedro Acosta finished 14th and must fight through Q1 alongside Fermin Aldeguer, Franco Morbidelli, and Maverick Viñales.