Marco Bezzecchi set the fastest time in final MotoGP practice at Motegi, giving Aprilia a one-two ahead of the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix. The Italian produced his benchmark with a fresh medium front tyre and an old medium rear, while the other riders in the top ten generally paired a medium front with a soft rear.

The session was stopped by a red flag just six minutes after it began. Fluid had to be removed from the racing line after an engine failure on Franco Morbidelli’s motorcycle. Qualifying 1 was then scheduled for riders who had missed Friday’s top ten, including Ai Ogura and Pecco Bagnaia.

A new surface puts tyres at the centre of the weekend

Motegi was completely resurfaced ahead of this year’s event, leaving Michelin without real-world data from the new asphalt. Its expanded allocation was prepared using simulations and information from previous visits, and consists of three front and three rear options.

At the front, the Soft, Medium and Hard retain the same stiffness level as in 2025 and use symmetrical compounds. The Hard nevertheless has a reinforced construction. At the rear, Michelin has chosen a higher stiffness level than last year: the Soft and Medium use the standard casing, while the Hard uses a reinforced casing previously offered in Austria. Piero Taramasso of Michelin Motorsport said the circuit’s evolution would need to be monitored from the outset, with relatively cool temperatures and a chance of rain also affecting the tyre picture.

Jorge Martin leads Marc Marquez by 12 points in the championship. Marquez returns to Motegi, where he secured the 2025 title, while Pedro Acosta has moved up to fourth after taking his maiden MotoGP victory at the Red Bull Ring. Bagnaia is ninth. He won both Motegi races last year from pole position, while his only victory this season is a Sprint win at Brno.

Changes to the entry list

Maverick Vinales is back with Tech3 KTM after missing the previous four rounds because of shoulder injuries. Joan Mir remains absent as he continues his recovery and medical observation following concerns first raised after the San Marino Grand Prix.

Takaaki Nakagami had been due to ride as a wildcard, but fractured his collarbone in an out-lap highside during damp FP1. Somkiat Chantra was called up to replace him alongside Luca Marini at Honda HRC. Honda will use a special 60th-anniversary livery on Sunday.

The Motegi lap record is 1m 42.811s, set by Alex Marquez on a Ducati in 2026. The race-lap record belongs to Francesco Bagnaia, who recorded 1m 44.412s in 2025. With the new surface still evolving, the Q1 result and tyre behaviour will shape the next important stage of the weekend.