Brad Binder of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing topped MotoGP Practice at the Japanese Grand Prix, clocking a lap time of 1:43.436. The South African’s performance set the pace for a fiercely competitive session, with only 0.033 seconds separating him from second-place Marc Marquez, who finished with a best lap of 1:43.469.
Jorge Martin rounded out the top three, posting a time of 1:43.568, while Pedro Acosta and Enea Bastianini closely followed the Top 3.
Despite the challenging conditions following morning rain, the track began to dry, allowing riders to push their limits as Binder completed 20 laps. However, not all riders found success; Jack Miller and Aleix Espargaro faced difficulties, finishing outside the top ten forcing them to work their way through Q1 to get a chance at a Top 12 starting position.
The session was not without incidents, as Johann Zarco and Jack Miller both suffered falls but emerged uninjured with Augusto Fernandez encountering difficulties in Turn 10, marking the first fall of the weekend.
