At the 2025 Indonesian Grand Prix practice session held at Mandalika, newly crowned MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez faced a challenging day, crashing twice and ending up in Q1 for the first time this season. Meanwhile, Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi led the practice times, showcasing strong pace on the evolving track.
Marquez’s Struggles During Practice Session
Following his recent title win in Japan, Marquez entered the Indonesian rounds aiming for a strong start to defend his crown. However, the 32-year-old Ducati factory rider encountered difficulties on the GP25 bike, suffering two crashes during the hour-long session. The first incident happened within the initial ten minutes when he lost control entering Turn 10, sliding out at the front.
His second crash was more severe as he lost the rear going into Turn 5 with roughly thirty minutes remaining. Despite the fall and the hard impact, Marquez was unharmed and returned to track using his second bike. Nevertheless, his best lap time of 1m30.053s only secured a spot in Q1, marking his first return to this qualifying segment since Germany last year.
Qualifying Scenario and Competitors’ Performance
Marquez’s Q1 placement also means he will join teammate Pecco Bagnaia in battling for a place in Q2, as Bagnaia struggled to replicate the bike improvements seen in Japan throughout Friday’s sessions. The fight for top positions was intense, with the lead changing hands multiple times as the track conditions improved.
Marco Bezzecchi, however, took control in the final minutes with a decisive 1m29.240s lap, carving out a 0.408-second margin and solidifying his direct entry to Q2. His pace during practice indicated strong potential for race day.
Top Performers Beyond Bezzecchi
The fastest Ducati on the track was Fermin Aldeguer on the Gresini-run GP24, finishing practice in second place. KTM’s Pedro Acosta closely followed in third. Early session pacesetter Luca Marini, competing for Honda, concluded in fourth with a time of 1m29.730s, ahead of Trackhouse Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez and Honda’s Joan Mir, who also posted competitive lap times.
Other riders securing Q2 positions included Fabio Quartararo, who climbed to seventh late in the session with factory Yamaha, leading teammate Alex Rins. Rounding out the final Q2 qualifiers were Pramac’s Miguel Oliveira and Alex Marquez, who suffered a late crash on the Gresini Ducati but still managed to advance.
Additional Incidents Across Practice
Several riders experienced difficulties during the session. Johann Zarco from LCR Honda crashed twice, while his teammate Somkiat Chantra fell early on. Tech3 KTM’s Enea Bastianini also crashed late in practice but was able to exit without injury, highlighting the demanding nature of the Mandalika circuit conditions.
Implications for the Indonesian Grand Prix
Marc Marquez’s unexpected drop into Q1 alters the dynamics for the Indonesian Grand Prix starting grid, forcing the reigning champion to fight through an additional qualifying round after two crashes in practice. Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi’s strong performance positions Aprilia as a serious contender at Mandalika. The session’s outcomes suggest an intense qualifying battle ahead, with many riders striving to capitalize on evolving track conditions as they prepare for Sunday’s race.
