Italian rider Luca Marini claimed the fastest time in the opening practice session of the Indonesian MotoGP at Mandalika, seizing the spotlight after teammate Joan Mir’s podium finish at Motegi. Marini’s performance in FP1 established him as the Indonesian MotoGP FP1 leader by using new medium tyres to outpace KTM’s Pedro Acosta by 0.136 seconds on his final lap.
Strong Performances and Tyre Strategies Define Friday Practice
Marco Bezzecchi on the Aprilia was the session’s fastest rider for much of the 45-minute practice, ultimately finishing third without changing tyres. Bezzecchi kept the same hard front and medium rear tyres throughout, distinguishing him as the top rider who ran consistent rubber.
Yamaha’s Alex Rins delivered one of the biggest surprises by running on old hard-medium tyres and briefly leading the session before settling in fourth. His strong pace on 22-lap-old tyres initially prompted doubts about tyre data accuracy but was later confirmed by official timing.
Newly crowned MotoGP champion Marc Marquez started the weekend in fifth place, riding for Ducati Lenovo with no tyre changes during the session, while his teammate Francesco Bagnaia, despite a double win at Motegi, struggled to 17th position. Jack Miller from Pramac Yamaha took a late sixth place after switching to new tyres, whereas Fabio Quartararo remained on his old rubber to finish seventh.
Rounding out the top ten were VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio, Joan Mir, and Gresini’s Alex Marquez. Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer was the only rider to fall during FP1, although many others faced challenging conditions on the slippery and hot track surface.
Tyre Choices Influenced by Track Conditions and New Compounds
The preferred tyre selections reflected those used during last year’s Indonesian round, favoring a hard front with either soft rear compounds for Sprint or medium for the Grand Prix. Michelin introduced a revised medium front compound after previous criticism of the earlier version, which led riders to often skip straight from soft to hard fronts in past sessions.
Given the dirty track early in the weekend, most riders chose less-desired tyres during FP1 to conserve their favored options for later sessions. This Friday afternoon’s practice will be more indicative of actual race and qualifying speeds, as it determines direct access to Q2.
Implications for Race and Qualifying at Mandalika
Luca Marini’s ability to top the Indonesian MotoGP FP1 demonstrates both strong pace and effective tyre management, positioning him as a contender for further success this weekend. With key riders like Marc Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi showing solid form, the competition remains intense. The choice of tyres and adaptation to the challenging Mandalika surface will play a critical role in later qualifying and race outcomes.
“El italiano saltó a la cima con neumáticos medios nuevos para superar a Pedro Acosta por 0,136 segundos en su última vuelta.”
– Joan Mir, Rider
