Marco Bezzecchi avoided another serious crash at Motegi when he recovered an Aprilia Racing highside during first practice for the 2026 Japanese MotoGP. The Italian lost the rear at Turn 11 while off the throttle, but kept the bike upright despite a grip change that was not immediately obvious from the track surface.

Bezzecchi said light rain had been falling across the circuit, although the asphalt was dry almost everywhere. The braking zone at Turn 11 offered no obvious warning, while the newer surface farther into the corner appeared darker. He could not tell whether that appearance was simply a characteristic of the new asphalt, and only recognised the wet patch once the bike was already sliding. He had been ready to react, but still described the recovery mainly as luck.

Turn 11 had already caught out Takaaki Nakagami earlier in the session, when the circuit was damp. The Japanese rider suffered a collarbone fracture in the crash. Bezzecchi offered his sympathy, calling any injury difficult and stressing the value of having Nakagami at the home event for Japanese fans. He also hoped the rider would be able to return soon.

The near miss adds to a season of stark contrasts for Bezzecchi. In 2026 he has won the opening three races and Mugello, while also producing impressive rides at Silverstone and Aragon despite being hurt. The campaign has included a major race crash at Assen and another in Sachsenring qualifying. After the Motegi incident, Bezzecchi went straight back to the pits and chose to wait rather than risk adding another crash to an already punishing season.