MotoGP, FP1: Marc Marquez 1st – Takaaki Nakagami suffers a broken collarbone

Honda works rider Joan Mir will miss the Japanese Grand Prix. The Spaniard is suffering from a mysterious illness. Due to persistent symptoms, MotoGP chief medical officer Dr Angel Charte has advised him to take a break. It is not yet clear what is wrong with Joan Mir, nor has any information been released. Replacing him at Motegi will be former MotoGP and Superbike rider Somkiat Chantra, who will be riding the RC213V. In Japan, alongside the Thai rider, Luca Marini, Johann Zarco and Diogo Moreira, a fifth Honda rider will be on the starting grid: test rider Takaaki Nakagami will compete with a wildcard at his employer’s home Grand Prix.

KTM Tech3 rider Maverick Viñales is making his return at Motegi. After almost three months out with injury, ‘Top Gun’ is back on his RC16 for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Jorge Martin

Foto: Gold & Goose

Jorge Martin (Aprilia) travelled to Japan as the championship leader. He currently holds a 12-point lead over Marc Marquez (Ducati). Marco Bezzecchi is third – 42 points behind his Spanish team-mate.

On Friday morning (local time), FP1 for the MotoGP class took place at Motegi. The sky was overcast at the start of the 45-minute session. There were still a few wet patches on the track because it had rained earlier in the morning. The air temperature was just 18 degrees Celsius.

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At the start of FP1, local hero Nakagami suffered a violent highside in Turn 11. The Japanese rider crashed heavily onto his left shoulder – too hard, as it turned out. Nakagami fractured his left collarbone and will have to sit out the rest of the weekend. A bitter blow for Honda: the test rider was due to undertake a packed programme of development work on the 850cc bike over the coming weeks.

After 25 minutes, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) topped the timesheets with a lap of 1:45.037. Fermin Aldeguer, Pecco Bagnaia, Raul Fernandez and Jorge Martin rounded off the top five.

A few minutes later, Marc Marquez surged up to fourth place. The lap times were still relatively slow. By way of comparison: Bagnaia set the lap record in 2025 with a time of 1:42.911.

Twelve minutes before the end, the riders picked up the pace slightly. Alex Marquez set a new fastest time of 1:44.631. Rookie Diogo Moreira clocked the second-fastest time.

A few minutes later, Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo set the second-fastest time. Then it was Bezzecchi again who set the fastest time of 1:44.375 mins. His team-mate Martin moved into second place.

Marco Bezzecchi

Foto: Gold & Goose

With two minutes to go, it was the ‘Martinator’ who set a new fastest lap of 1:44.172. Marc Márquez slotted in right behind him in second place.

Shortly before the session ended, MM93 set a new fastest time of 1:44.073. Martin, Bezzecchi, Alex Marquez, Zarco, Quartararo, Fernandez, Bagnaia, Di Giannantonio and Acosta rounded out the top 10. Toprak Razgatlioglu finished the first free practice session at Motegi in 16th place.

For Takaaki Nakagami, the home Grand Prix was over before it had really begun. The 34-year-old suffered a broken collarbone in a heavy crash.

Takaaki Nakagami

Foto: Gold & Goose