TNT Sports
MotoGP: Marco Bezzecchi sets new track record in storming comeback to top Practice at Grand Prix Britain, as Marc Marquez sixth quickest
By
Published 07/08/2026 at 18:42 GMT+1
React to this story
Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi was fastest at Grand Prix Britain on Friday in the afternoon's Practice session. The Italian has endured a difficult period having previously topped the world championship standings.
'Marco Bezzecchi! What?! - Aprilia rider back to his best at Grand Prix Britain qualfiying
Video credit: TNT Sports
Bezzecchi was making his return after surgery on a fractured collarbone following a crash in the last round at Grand Prix Germany. The collision at Sachsenring forced the 27-year-old to undergo the procedure but he was able to recover in time to race at Silverstone.
A dreadful couple of months for Bezzecchi meant he had just 13 points from the previous 148 available and he had slipped down from his previous position as the world title leader to fourth in the overall standings behind team-mate Jorge Martin in first, Trackhouse GP’s Ai Ogura in second and Ducati Lenovo’s Marc Marquez in third.
However, he has now given himself the chance to regain momentum and become a credible contender in the title chase once more by setting a new lap record with a time of 1:56.280, as several riders went quicker than the 2025 time set by Fabio Quartararo.
It was a good showing for Aprilia bikes in general, with Raul Fernandez the second quickest in his Trackhouse, with Martin fourth fastest and Ogura fifth.
VR46 Pertamina’s Fabio Di Giannantonio was the quickest of the Ducatis, though factory rider Marquez was sixth.
Ducati’s head Davide Tardozzi was frank in his assessment that his duo of Martin and Francesco Bagnaia would be ”fighting for the podium” rather than targeting a win, with the four Aprilias competing this weekend expected to find the track more favourable.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/08/07/image-8f75278d-9468-458a-be4d-bfe4051d53f0-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'Fighting for the podium' - Tardozzi wants Grand Prix Great Britain points for Marquez and Bagnaia
Video credit: TNT Sports
However, TNT Sports pundit Neil Hodgson believes that Marquez was still the favourite for the Grand Prix this weekend, noting his ability to pull off a series of remarkable comebacks in MotoGP in his career so far, with a 10th world title (in all Moto formats) on the horizon for the 33-year-old Spaniard, despite a woeful, injury-hit start to the 2026 campaign.
Bagnaia was 13th fastest as he struggled to find decent pace on Friday, meaning that he will have to start in Q1 and aim to be one of the fastest two riders to get through to Q2 if he wants to get a better chance of scoring points on Saturday and Sunday.
BK8 Gresini’s Alex Marquez, Marc’s younger brother, was seventh fastest, with Joan Mir (Honda), Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha) and Pedro Acosta (KTM) in eighth, ninth and 10th respectively, as they all made the crucial cut-off to start their qualifying in the second session.
- 'I need 21 miracles' - Crutchlow plays down British GP hopes on home return
- MotoGP Grand Prix Great Britain: Start times, schedule, how to watch and live stream
- 'We have to recover the performance on Marco' - Aprilia's Bonora wants Bezzecchi improvement
Martin sits top of the world championship standings on 208 points, with Ogura in second on 194 points. Marquez has 190 points in third, while Bezzecchi has slipped to fourth spot on 186 points, two ahead of Di Giannantonio on 184.
Add TNT Sports as a preferred source here to enjoy more content like this.
Watch and stream every race of the 2026 MotoGP season live on TNT Sports and HBO Max
Advertisement
Advertisement