2025 Americas MotoGP: Franco Morbidelli tops wet FP1, Marc Marquez crashes
VR46 Ducati rider Morbidelli tops chaotic wet FP1 in Austin
Franco Morbidelli led a wet FP1 at the 2025 MotoGP Americas Grand Prix for VR46 Racing as Marc Marquez suffered his first crash as a factory Ducati rider.
The Circuit of the Americas was left drenched as continual rainfall battered the Texas venue ahead of the start of the third round of the 2025 MotoGP campaign.
Expected to dominate the weekend after his perfect start to the season, seven-time COTA winner Marc Marquez endured a mixed morning on his factory Ducati.
Setting the early pace, Marquez crashed at Turn 2 with just over half an hour remaining of the 45-minute session.
Representing his first crash as a factory Ducati rider this season, Marquez was uninjured but finished the session third fastest.
Following his podium return in Argentina, VR46 Ducati rider Franco Morbidelli carried on that momentum into FP1 in America as he led the way at the chequered flag with a 2m12.531s over Pramac Yamaha’s Jack Miller.
Johann Zarco was again at the sharp end of the field on his LCR Honda in fourth, while Pedro Acosta was top KTM in fifth ahead of double world champion Pecco Bagnaia.
In the opening 15 minutes of FP1, Marc Marquez strung together a stint that saw him put in session-best lap after session-best lap.
Prior to his crash, Marquez set the pace at 2m16.493s before he was flung from his Ducati going through the Turn 2 right-hander.
He was unharmed in the crash and would get back out on track with 15 minutes remaining.
Moments after Marquez crashed, Morbidelli took over top spot with a 2m16.342s, which was a benchmark that would continue to change as grip improved on track.
Morbidelli would set the best time of the morning in the dying moments when he put in a 2m12.531s, which saw him end FP1 0.083s clear of Miller.
Marc Marquez briefly returned to the top of the order when he rejoined the session, but his 2m12.780s was ultimately good enough for third.
Zarco led the way as the session reached its final few moments, though his 2m13.838s would see him slip down to fourth ahead of Acosta and Bagnaia.
Alex Marquez was seventh on the Gresini Ducati ahead of Tech3 KTM rider and 2024 COTA winner Maverick Vinales. KTM’s Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira’s Pramac stand-in Augusto Fernandez completed the top 10.
Fermin Aldeguer was an impressive 13th on his Gresini Ducati in his first wet session in MotoGP, with fellow rookies Somkiat Chantra (LCR Honda) and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia) 20th and 22nd respectively.
Aprilia endured a nightmare morning in Austin, with Marco Bezzecchi beset by problems from the off.
The Italian’s RS-GP entered into a engine safe mode at the start of FP1, which forced him to jump onto his second bike.
This machine developed a fuel pump issue, which required fixing, before he crashed on it at Turn 5 with just under 20 minutes to go.
Going back onto his number one bike, this once again developed the same engine safe mode problem. He was 19th at the chequered flag.
