The 2026 MotoGP season reached its Czech round with a dramatic practice session at Automotodrom Brno. In a stunning display of speed, Ai Ogura set a new track record, leading an Aprilia-dominated session that saw four manufacturers in the top five positions.
The Japanese rider, known more for his racecraft than outright pace, delivered a masterclass in time attack with a blistering lap of 1:51.735. This performance marked a significant improvement in Ogura’s qualifying pacewhich has often been his Achilles’ heel throughout the season.
Ogura’s record-breaking performance leads Aprilia charge
The Trackhouse Racing rider’s record came in the final moments of the session, with an explosive final sector that propelled him to the top of the timesheets. Ogura’s lap was 0.091 seconds ahead of teammate Marco Bezzecchiwho completed an Aprilia 1-2 in the practice session.
Behind the Aprilia duo, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) completed the top four, showing the Italian manufacturer’s continued strength at this challenging circuit. The session wasn’t without drama, as several riders, including Pedro Acosta and Maverick Viñaleswent down in the early stages.
Marquez leads dramatic FP1 session
Earlier in the day, Marc Marquez had set the initial benchmark in FP1, becoming the first rider to break into the 1:53s. The reigning world champion’s pace was impressive, though he did suffer a late crash at Turn 7 that ended his session prematurely.
The Ducati Lenovo Team rider’s time of 1:53.303 put him at the top of the FP1 standings, with Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) finishing second, 0.2 seconds behind. The top five was completed by Raul Fernandez (Aprilia), Joan Mir (Honda), and Ogura.
Bezzecchi, the current championship leader, had a difficult start to the weekend, finishing only 16th in FP1. The Italian rider will need to improve his pace in the remaining practice sessions to secure a favorable grid position for Sunday’s race.
Key moments and notable performances
The session saw several notable performances beyond the top five. Pedro Acosta was the top KTM rider in ninth place, while Luca Marini (Honda) rounded out the top ten. Jorge MartinOgura’s Aprilia teammate, struggled with a technical issue during his long lap penalty practice and finished 14th.
Francesco Bagnaia showed solid pace in sixth place, while Fermin Aldeguer and Di Giannantonio completed the top eight. The session also saw the return of Alex Marquez from injury, who finished 18th, just 1.2 seconds behind his brother Marc.
As the teams prepare for the remaining practice sessions, all eyes will be on Ogura to see if he can maintain this stunning form and potentially secure his first pole position of the season.
