The first day of track action at the 2025 MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix in Mandalika delivered unexpected results, disrupting the anticipated competitive dynamics and leaving teams and riders to reassess strategies amid challenging conditions. The MotoGP Indonesian GP Friday session highlighted surprising performances and revealed technical difficulties linked to new tyre compounds, setting a tense tone for the rest of the weekend.
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi Dominates Practice With Unexpected Margin
April marks a strong start as Marco Bezzecchi from Aprilia Racing set the fastest lap in Friday’s practice sessions, outpacing rivals by an unusually large gap. While Bezzecchi’s speed wasn’t surprising given his form this season, the considerable lead over other contenders signaled a shakeup in the expected pecking order. Riders from Honda and Yamaha, previously favoured to hold strong positions, instead shared half of the top 10, a development few had forecasted going into the race weekend.
Tyre Challenges Pose Unique Difficulties for Riders at Mandalika
A major factor behind the unsettled running on Friday was Michelin’s introduction of a new rear tyre featuring a stiffer carcass, critical to tackling Mandalika’s demanding layout and tropical climate. This tyre compound, last seen at the Thai GP season opener, differs significantly from those used in other races this year, forcing teams to rapidly adapt.
“It’s a kind of tyre that prevents overheating due to the weather conditions and also the track layout,”
explained Aprilia’s technical chief, Fabiano Sterlacchini.
Riders experienced notable difficulties warming up the rear tyre, often requiring numerous warm-up laps before they could attempt competitive flying laps. Miguel Oliveira from Pramac highlighted the struggle vividly:
“Especially the rear, it was really difficult just to get the tyre to work in the morning; it took like seven, eight, nine laps. Then the tyre was actually getting better and better. [But in] my first outing to the track, I was almost crashing two, three times a lap during the first five laps. It was crazy. It was something I’ve never felt on the bike. I could not even push.”
— Miguel Oliveira, Pramac Rider
The cold rear tyre hampered rider confidence from the start, making the initial laps of both practice and potentially the race precarious. Enea Bastianini of Red Bull KTM Tech 3 also reported a risky phase when running the medium tyre compound, emphasizing the danger during early race laps:
“The medium compared to the soft was very dangerous, especially the first three laps. After that, it was good. But on the first three laps, you need to be very careful, especially at Turn 7, on the right side. But with the soft, it was okay. I don’t know why, but with a tyre like this for the long distance, if we use the medium, it can be a problem for the first two, three laps.”
— Enea Bastianini, Tech3 KTM Rider
Not all riders were equally affected, as KTM’s Pedro Acosta suggested the adaptation was manageable for him, underlining the complexities of the tyre’s behavior across different racing lines:
“There are tracks that are much trickier than this one. Like, it could be Austria. The centre of the tyre is harder and you just try to not spend a lot of time in the centre because normally you have less grip than the sides. When [the tyre is] new, everything is normal. When it’s getting used, in the centre you normally have more spin there.”
— Pedro Acosta, KTM Rider
Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha summarized the widespread frustration among riders:
“Some riders feel [the changes] more than others. The tyre reacts in a way that is really unpredictable and this is why my pace was really slow and the pace of many riders that usually are very fast is slow. I ride super tense, so it didn’t feel great and it’s the feeling of many other riders that ride today.”
— Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Rider
Front tyre options allowed selection between symmetrical soft, medium, and hard compounds, with the soft tyre widely preferred. However, debate remains over whether the soft compound can endure the full race distance or if riders will be forced to switch to the less favored medium option, introducing further strategic complexity.
Marc Marquez Struggles Amid Fatigue and Pressure
After a vigorous championship celebration and days filled with media obligations, Marc Marquez endured a difficult opening day at Mandalika, resulting in his first failure this season to advance beyond Q1. Marquez’s distracted performance was affected by fatigue, a challenging track he openly dislikes, and the tropical heat, combining to yield multiple errors and on-track incidents.
Evidence of his lack of focus included a rare misjudgment where he exited the pit lane into a gravel trap, along with two crashes during practice, unusual for a rider renowned for his concentration and racecraft. Marquez’s team principal, Gigi Dall’Igna, appeared similarly drained, reportedly recovering from mishaps off-track as well.
Even with these setbacks, the broader Ducati roster faced difficulties; only the Gresini Racing riders Alex Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer managed to secure places beyond Q1. Top contender Francesco Bagnaia failed to break into the top 10. Marquez candidly expressed his frustration:
“I want to get this weekend over with.”
— Marc Marquez, Ducati Team
Despite the poor session, Marquez’s track record and nine world titles grant him considerable credibility and suggest this day’s struggles might serve as a motivation in the forthcoming sessions.
Friday’s Conditions Create a Rare Opportunity for Underperforming Riders
With a difficult tyre and a circuit that rarely offers routine conditions between events, Friday’s sessions tested all riders, often leaving even the most consistent feeling on the edge of control. Honda’s Luca Marini, who entered Mandalika without a crash all season, confessed that he felt close to losing control at almost every corner during his fourth-best practice time.
The unpredictable conditions created chances for riders like Alex Rins and Miguel Oliveira to progress to Q2 for the first time this year, surprising onlookers as they capitalized on widespread difficulties. Fermin Aldeguer’s second-place finish in practice marked his best Friday start of the season, highlighting how the circumstances favored riders usually battling in the midfield.
Aprilia, normally slow to find pace early in a race weekend due to new electronics and limited data, appeared less hindered at Mandalika. Bezzecchi’s immediate competitiveness speaks to how the unique track and tyre circumstances equalized the field.
Joan Mir, Honda’s rider for whom much of 2025 has been a battle, reflected on the phenomenon of struggling riders benefiting when the entire grid faces woes:
“Maybe that helps, probably, yes. When you are used to [riding] with a bad feeling, once everyone has this bad feeling, probably you have an advantage. It sounds wild, but it’s a bit the reality.”
— Joan Mir, Honda Rider
The pace improved noticeably throughout Friday, with lap times dropping by more than five seconds as the front runners laid a rubbered-in line. Despite this, the wide margin held by Bezzecchi suggests that Saturday could bring a more level playing field, though dramatic shifts in the grid remain a strong possibility.
Even with a more typical pace expected on Saturday, strange outcomes like Marquez’s Q1 relegation and Rins’ breakthrough start mean the Indonesian GP grid and races will likely maintain unfamiliar and tense dynamics.
