Pedro Acosta set the pace in a mixed-condition MotoGP FP1 in Brazil, emerging quickest as a late switch to slick tyres caused a bit of a timing tower reshuffle in the closing stages.
The Red Bull KTM rider’s 1m26.688s came as the track finally tipped toward dry conditions, leaving him 0.087s clear of Jack Miller, who had been one of the first to gamble on slick rubber. Marco Bezzecchi completed the top three for Aprilia.
Track conditions had dictated much of the session, with the damp surface making the search for the correct braking point, particularly at Turn 10, very tricky.
Pecco Bagnaia also had a rather unusual moment on his outlap as standing water almost caught him out.
We nearly had @peccobagnaia down already 🤯#BrazilianGP 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/oLRcivpLeD
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 20, 2026
Marc Marquez looked in control in the early stages and became the first rider to break into the 1m27s before leading the field into the 1m26s later on.
As the track evolved, Franco Morbidelli moved into FP1 contention with a 1m27.1s to go second, while Alex Rins also featured near the top after a strong lap just shy of the 1m27 barrier.
The Yamaha rider would not be able to improve later on before being pushed down the order as his rivals fired in their time attacks in the closing stages of the session.
Bagnaia, unusually competitive in damp conditions, briefly climbed into the top three during this phase, but was later pushed back down to ninth.
With a dry line emerging and sunshine breaking through the heavy cloud cover, multiple riders began to explore their options on a set of slick tyres.
Acosta, still on wets at the time, delivered the benchmark lap to move into P1, with Miller, the first rider to give it a shot on slicks, following him up to second. Bezzecchi, Marquez, and Morbidelli rounded out the top five.
Behind them, Maverick Viñales placed sixth for KTM Tech3 ahead of Martin, while Fermin Aldeguer, Bagnaia, and Alex Marquez completed the top 10.
Further back, Fabio di Giannantonio finished in 12th behind Bastianini, while Brad Binder and Alex Rins ended FP1 13th and 14th respectively.
Toprak Razgatlioglu impressed with a stint that briefly put him in the top five before slipping to 16th at the end of the session. Yamaha endured a difficult outing overall, with Fabio Quartararo down in 22nd and over 2.8s off the pace.
Despite the tricky conditions and multiple visits into the gravel trap, mainly at Turn 10, there were no crashes in FP1.
