Factory Ducati rider Marc Márquez finished third in Friday practice at Motorland Aragon after recovering form following a physical setback at the British Grand Prix.
The Spanish rider set his time early at the Alcañiz circuit before sitting out the final ten minutes of the practice session to conserve physical strength and minimize risks. Italian rider Marco Bezzecchi posted the fastest time of the afternoon ahead of Álex Márquez, with all three top riders breaking the all-time lap record for the Spanish venue.
Márquez arrived in Spain determined to move past a frustrating weekend at Silverstone, where he ran out of energy in his right arm during Sunday's main race. Having pushed at maximum effort throughout the British event, he arrived exhausted for the main race, which reopened public debate regarding his right arm and his physical limitations, a subject he was keen to avoid revisiting.
Speaking in the press room at Motorland Aragon on Thursday, Márquez explained that it was time to take a step back and pace himself once again. The rider, who competes under number 93, noted that where his physical strength falls short, his mind has to step in to manage the demands of the weekend.
Track record and championship pressure
Motorland Aragon arrived at the most opportune moment for Márquez, serving as the ideal circuit to regain his confidence. The venue has historically been one of his strongest, having claimed seven Sunday Grand Prix victories at the track in MotoGP and winning all four races, including Sprints, that he has contested at the circuit aboard a Ducati motorcycle.
His impressive record at Alcañiz includes a complete sweep of victories in 2024 while riding for the Gresini Racing satellite team. He repeated that feat in 2025 after joining the official factory squad, wearing red and dominating every single session across the weekend from Friday morning's first free practice through to the Sunday morning warm-up session.
Márquez is an eight-time world champion across all Grand Prix motorcycle racing classes, including six titles in the premier MotoGP category. The 5.078-kilometer Motorland Aragon circuit, located in the province of Teruel in northeastern Spain, is an anti-clockwise track featuring fast corners and sweeping turns that historically suit his riding style.
Despite his historical dominance in Aragon, Márquez acknowledged that securing maximum points at the track is essential if he wants to remain in contention for the World Championship. Using a football analogy, he explained that competing at a circuit where he has won so frequently is like a big team playing against a smaller opponent, where winning is expected as normal and failing to win becomes the headline news. He emphasized that every circuit and every match presents an equal challenge, leaving no room for carelessness or a lapse in focus.
Physical demands and tactical strategy
Márquez expanded on his football comparison to explain how feeling comfortable on the motorcycle directly influences physical endurance. He observed that in football, players tire significantly less when they are playing well, whereas defending constantly and missing passes doubles physical fatigue. He noted that the same rule applies to motorcycles, as riding on a circuit where lap times come easily requires far less physical effort.
Friday's Practice session marked the first time since joining the official factory Ducati team that Márquez did not top a session at Motorland Aragon. Bezzecchi surprised the field by setting the fastest lap time of the afternoon, finishing ahead of Márquez's younger brother Álex Márquez in second, while Marc Márquez held third place after deciding not to complete a second time attack.
Reflecting on the competitive field, Márquez confessed that lap times were extremely tight across the grid, noting that such intensity is normal when several riders are fighting for the World Championship. He pointed out that if one contender does not set a quick time, another will, highlighting that Bezzecchi and Álex had been very fast on Friday, while riders such as Jorge Martín and Fabio Di Giannantonio could easily emerge near the top on Saturday.
Márquez explained that skipping the final ten minutes of Practice was a deliberate strategy to hold a card in reserve and save his strength. He added with a smile that his plan called for minimizing risks if his initial time attack went well, noting that while taking risks is necessary at this stage of the championship, minimizing them whenever possible is much better, allowing him to end the day with a smile.
