2025 Qatar MotoGP: Marc Marquez dominates FP1, Jorge Martin 20th on return
Factory Ducati rider Marc Marquez fastest in dusty Qatar FP1
Marc Marquez dominated proceedings in a dusty FP1 at the 2025 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix on his factory Ducati, as reigning champion Jorge Martin was 20th on his return.
Ahead of track action getting underway, Marc Marquez warned that this was the first circuit of the year that his main championship rivals Alex Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia are faster than him at.
But the erstwhile championship leader showed no signs of struggle in a dusty and sweltering FP1 at the Lusail International Circuit, as he led the way by 0.513 seconds from VR46 Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio.
Last year’s Qatar GP winner Bagnaia completed the top three, 0.583s off his team-mate’s 1m52.288s, while points leader Alex Marquez was fourth on the Gresini Ducati.
Away from the championship battle, the main story of FP1 in Qatar was the return of reigning champion Jorge Martin.
Sidelined with injury since day one of the Sepang test in February and completing just 13 laps on the RS-GP this year, Martin managed 14 tours on Friday afternoon in Qatar on his factory Aprilia.
He put in a best lap of 1m54.122s, which put him 20th ahead of Trackhouse Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez and LCR Honda’s Somkiat Chantra.
Marc Marquez set the early pace in FP1 on his factory Ducati, as he sat top of the pile after the opening 10 minutes of running on a 1m53.144s.
He eventually bettered this with a 1m52.742s with just over 20 minutes of the 45-minute session remaining - which he quickly followed up with a 1m52.388s.
With seconds left before the chequered flag was flown, Marquez produced a 1m52.288s to cement top spot.
A late 1m52.801s put 2023 Qatar GP winner Di Giannantonio up to second, while Bagnaia completed the top three on the sister factory team Ducati.
Alex Marquez was the leading Ducati rider on a GP24 in fourth, 0.657s off the pace, while Maverick Vinales led the non-Ducati charge in fifth for Tech3 KTM.
VR46 Ducati rider Franco Morbidelli - also on the GP24 - was sixth ahead of Gresini rookie Fermin Aldeguer, while Joan Mir was eighth on the factory team Honda.
Marco Bezzecchi was the leading Aprilia in ninth, while Pedro Acosta rounded out the top 10 on the factory team KTM.
Top Yamaha honours went to 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo, while stablemate Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) crashed at Turn 4 at the end of the session.
LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco was forced to park his bike at Turn 1 just moments into FP1 due to a technical issue, though was able to quickly get back out on his second machine and ended the afternoon 14th.
