The key facts
- Marc Marquez (Ducati) — fastest in first practice: 1:27.985, 0.048 sec quicker than Raul Fernandez
- Fernandez, Miller and Lecuona crashed but were unharmed; Binder suffered a KTM engine failure
- Phillip Island hosts MotoGP for the last time — from 2027 the race moves to a street circuit in Adelaide
Marquez fastest in first practice
World champion Spaniard Marc Marquez on a Ducati set the fastest time in first practice for the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix on Friday, lapping the Phillip Island circuit in 1 minute 27.985 seconds in the final seconds of the session. Conditions were warm but windy. The gap to the second-fastest time was 0.048 seconds: it was set by Raul Fernandez, winner of last year's Australian Grand Prix.
Numerous incidents
The session was full of incidents. Fernandez ran off at the seventh turn midway through the session and tumbled several times across the gravel. Iker Lecuona, substituting for the injured Fermin Aldeguer at Ducati-Gresini, fell at the same corner, hitting the tyre barrier. Both riders were unharmed. Australian Jack Miller also crashed at high speed at the second turn — a few seconds after setting what was then the fastest time — and gave a thumbs-up, signalling that he was fine. Brad Binder suffered a serious engine failure on the main straight: his KTM stopped, shrouded in white smoke.
Championship standings
Championship leader Jorge Martin, who leads Marquez by two points with five rounds remaining in the season, set the seventh-fastest time on the Aprilia. Marco Bezzecchi, winner of last week's Indonesian round and third in the championship, was fourth, also on an Aprilia.
Final round at Phillip Island
The Phillip Island circuit has been on the MotoGP calendar since 1997, but the Australian round is moving: next year the race will be held on a street circuit in Adelaide. Second practice starts at 15:00 local time (04:00 GMT); the top 10 participants go straight through to the second part of qualifying on Saturday.
