Alex Marquez shook up the Jerez paddock in Friday practice, delivering a stunner of a lap to top the session and break into uncharted Jerez territory.
The Gresini Ducati rider clocked a 1:35.991 – smashing the lap record and becoming the first (and only) rider dip into the 1:35s around the Andalusian circuit.
The session wasn’t short of drama. It started off with the usual exploratory laps, with Raul Fernandez initially leading the way. But it didn’t take long for the heavy hitters to arrive.
Within five minutes, both Marquez brothers had muscled their way to the top, with Alex ahead of Marc, and Pecco Bagnaia settling into third.
Then came a big scare. Just eight minutes in, Alex Marquez suffered a high-speed crash at Turn 5.
Tumbling through the gravel, the Spaniard triggered a red flag after his bike tore through an air fence tht needed re-deploying.
A second crash of the day for @alexmarquez73, this time around at T5 😱#SpanishGP 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/off1EsnI8R
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 25, 2025
Though winded and nursing pain in his right wrist from hitting a big rock on his way through the gravel trap, the younger Marquez wasn’t done yet.
Once the session resumed at 15:22, the fireworks started. Riders began their first time attacks early – Morbidelli, Zarco, and Quartararo among the first to throw on a fresh soft rear.
Marc Marquez made headlines of his own with a blistering lap on a used medium, jumping up to second.
Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo looked like he might be on for a flyer – four tenths under the benchmark – before a crash at Turn 13 brought his run to a halt.
The Frenchman had to contend with a two-chassis setup this weekend and was desperate to get back on his preferred (and now damaged) machine.
You can tell he was pushing! Fabio Quartararo was about to improve again 😱#SpanishGP 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/Dtz5j78hvy
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 25, 2025
Undeterred by his crash and (unfortunately) forced to head out on his second bike, Quartararo was back in the top five by the end, securing the only direct spot in Q2 for Yamaha.
With ten minutes to go, Bagnaia lit up the screens and looked like he might take the honours.
But just when it seemed the reigning champion had the edge, Alex Marquez returned to the track and unleashed a monster of a lap to take P1 and the Italian’s lap record for good.
The chequered flag flew on a Ducati lockout – Alex Marquez leading a 1-2-3-4, followed by Bagnaia, Morbidelli and his brother Marc. Quartararo rounded out the top five.
