Hold onto your helmets, folks! Marco Bezzecchi has just rewritten the record books at the Liqui Moly Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, setting a blistering new lap record that left everyone in awe. His incredible time of 1:26.492 not only secured him the top spot for Saturday but also signaled a dominant performance by Aprilia on Friday. But that's not all – Raul Fernandez, also riding an Aprilia, clinched second place, making it a stunning 1-2 finish for the team. And this is the part most people miss... Fermin Aldeguer, the recent race winner, surprisingly missed the cut for automatic Q2 entry.
Let's dive into how the practice unfolded. Francesco Bagnaia, initially facing some bike issues, had to switch to his second Ducati. Once back on track, he quickly found his rhythm, climbing into the top five. Early in the session, Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta were leading the pack, but Fabio Di Giannantonio soon took over, setting a pace that Bezzecchi then surpassed. A small crash for Acosta briefly interrupted his session, but he was back in action shortly after.
As the clock ticked down, the competition intensified. Jack Miller, the home hero, made a strong move, briefly taking the top spot. However, Bezzecchi wasn't done yet. He unleashed a series of breathtaking laps, culminating in that record-breaking time. It's worth noting that Bezzecchi's new lap record was an astonishing 0.666 seconds faster than the previous one!
Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins also put in strong performances, with Quartararo securing a spot in the top four. Meanwhile, Bagnaia found himself outside the top 10, though he managed to recover, securing a place in Q2. Pol Espargaro, filling in for Maverick Viñales, also made it into the automatic Q2 spots. But here's where it gets controversial... Aldeguer, despite his recent win, narrowly missed out on a top-10 spot, meaning he'll have to fight his way through Q1.
Looking at the top 10, Aprilia's dominance is clear, with Fernandez and Di Giannantonio also performing well. Quartararo led the Yamaha charge in fourth, and Alex Marquez rounded out the top five. Bagnaia managed to recover to ninth, while Acosta just scraped into the top 10.
What do you think about Bezzecchi's incredible performance? Do you think anyone can challenge him in qualifying? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
