2026 San Marino MotoGP News—Friday
Marquez’s Instagram hit
There was only one topic of conversation on Thursday: Marc Marquez’s Instagram post which revealed a startling difference between his left and right shoulder shape. It was followed by an interview in Spanish paper El Periodico with his surgeon Samuel Antuña.
“The expression that Marc is currently riding with one and a half arms accurately reflects the current state of his right arm,” said Antuña.
Why did Marquez, who usually guards his physical strength closely, do it? “At Silverstone, I didn’t speak [to the media] about my arm. But then in the Inside [Ducati video] I was talking about the arm. (At Aragon) I was tired of answering, and after the GP I said to my team, I want to find a solution.”
Could it also have been a ploy to show his championship rivals his speed despite such clear physical defects? “You don’t know if these cards are real ones or not,” said Luca Marini. “With Marc you never know. But I like how he plays.”
WorldSBK swap deal
Further rider announcements came before Misano with two MotoGP riders – Brad Binder and Jack Miller – confirmed to move to the World Superbike, with Nicolo Bulega moving in the opposite direction to VR46 Ducati.
“I’ve been running around here since 2009,” said Binder, moving to BMW. “On one hand, it’s a sad to be leaving, but also, I’m really excited for a new challenge.”
Miller meanwhile confirmed there’s a chance of continuing as one of Yamaha’s MotoGP test riders, which he could juggle alongside World Superbike commitments. “I’m up for any kind of racing,” he said. “I’m hoping with the Superbike calendar, eight weeks off and there’s plenty of motocross races to be done in those eight weeks!”
Reigning WorldSBK champ Toprak Razgatlioglu believes Bulega will be well prepared for MotoGP. “It’s the right time to move,” he said. “He did only Pirelli tire tests with the 850. He will become stronger because everyone tries to adapt the bike. He’s already adapted.”
Rins to four wheels
One rider not moving to World Superbike is Alex Rins. The Spaniard confirmed he will quite two-wheel racing and switch to four wheels and a series that “motivates me more.”
“I will not go to Superbike next year,” he revealed. “I have a really good, interesting project in mind that I can’t reveal because it’s not done 100%. It was difficult to choose, because all my life in MotoGP, in this championship, many fights, many races, many wins. 14 years. So, I will stop with two wheels.
“I had two possibilities (in WorldSBK). But I found another thing that motivates me more.”
Friday MotoGP
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) edged Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) in Friday’s MotoGP Practice at Misano, continuing the pair’s increasingly familiar battle at the Italian circuit. Bezzecchi’s late 1:30.144 put him 0.103 seconds clear of Marquez, with Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) third.
Marc Marquez initially responded to Bezzecchi’s strong pace, setting a 1:30.247 with around five minutes remaining to move to the top of the timesheets. The lap was just two-tenths shy of the outright circuit record and appeared to have put the reigning World Champion in control.
Bezzecchi had other ideas. The Aprilia rider produced his best lap on his final run to reclaim first place and give himself the advantage heading into Saturday.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) was fourth, followed by teammate Franco Morbidelli in fifth, giving the home VR46 team a strong showing with Valentino Rossi in attendance. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) finished sixth, ahead of Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), who was the leading Honda rider.
Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) was eighth, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3) ninth and championship leader Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) completing the top 10.
Martin had faced an anxious final phase of the session, sitting outside the provisional Q2 positions before improving to seventh with just over three minutes remaining. He was subsequently shuffled back but did enough to secure direct passage into Q2.
Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) missed the top 10 by just 0.014 seconds and will face Q1, while Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP) was another notable name to miss automatic Q2 qualification.
The biggest surprise was Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), who struggled to 19th and will also have to progress through Q1. Less than eight-tenths of a second separated the top 15, highlighting the competitive nature of Friday’s session.
2026 San Marino MotoGP—Friday MotoGP
| 1 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | 1’30.144s |
| 2 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | +0.103s |
| 3 | Alex Marquez | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) | +0.185s |
| 4 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) | +0.241s |
| 5 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP25) | +0.271s |
| 6 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.344s |
| 7 | Luca Marini | ITA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +0.496s |
| 8 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) | +0.510s |
| 9 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.530s |
| 10 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | +0.546s |
Friday Moto2
Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) set a new Moto2 lap record at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli to lead Friday Practice, edging teammate and championship leader Manuel Gonzalez by 0.120 seconds.
Agius’ 1:34.142 put him at the head of a tightly packed field, with David Alonso (CFMOTO Aspar European Privilege Team) just 0.133 seconds off the pace in third. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) briefly topped the timesheets during the closing stages before settling for fourth.
Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Aspar European Privilege Team) completed the top five, while Tony Arbolino and Barry Baltus gave REDS Fantic Racing two riders directly into Q2.
Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2), second in the championship, finished eighth and was the leading Boscoscuro rider. Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) and Filip Salač (OnlyFans American Racing Team) rounded out the top 10.
Last year’s Misano winner Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) and Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – Green Power – MSI) also secured automatic Q2 places.
2026 San Marino MotoGP—Friday Moto2
| 1 | Senna Agius | AUS | LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (Kalex) | 1′ 34.142s |
| 2 | Manuel Gonzalez | SPA | LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (Kalex) | +0.120s |
| 3 | David Alonso | COL | CFMOTO Aspar European Privilege Team (Kalex) | +0.133s |
| 4 | Collin Veijer | NED | Red Bull KTM Ajo (Kalex) | +0.241s |
| 5 | Daniel Holgado | SPA | CFMOTO Aspar European Privilege Team (Kalex) | +0.329s |
| 6 | Tony Arbolino | ITA | REDS Fantic Racing (Kalex) | +0.339s |
| 7 | Barry Baltus | BEL | REDS Fantic Racing (Kalex) | +0.382s |
| 8 | Izan Guevara | SPA | BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 (Boscoscuro) | +0.424s |
| 9 | Alonso Lopez | SPA | ITALJET Gresini Moto2 (Kalex) | +0.434s |
| 10 | Filip Salac | CZE | OnlyFans American Racing Team (Kalex) | +0.463s |
Friday Moto3
David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) topped Friday’s Moto3 Practice at Aragon, setting the only lap in the 1:40s with a 1:40.767 to lead Joel Kelso (GRYD Racing) by 0.109 seconds.
Kelso, fastest in the morning session, secured direct passage to Q2, while championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) returned from his British GP collarbone injury to claim third. Quiles sat out the morning session but was immediately competitive, leaving his charge until the closing stages.
Teammate Marco Morelli was fourth, ahead of rookies Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Matteo Bertelle (LEVLUP-MTA) was seventh, with Eddie O’Shea (GRYD Racing) eighth and Joel Esteban (LEVLUP-MTA) ninth.
Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) suffered a highside at Turn 13 late in the session but escaped injury. His teammate Alvaro Carpe endured a difficult afternoon, finishing 18th and missing Q2 for the first time since Barcelona.
Adrian Cruces (CIP GreenPower), Hakim Danish (AEON Credit–MT Helmets–MSI) and Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) were among those also heading to Q1.
2026 San Marino MotoGP—Friday Moto3
| 1 | David Almansa | SPA | Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM) | 1′ 40.767s |
| 2 | Joel Kelso | AUS | GRYD Racing (Honda) | +0.402s |
| 3 | Maximo Quiles | SPA | CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (KTM) | +0.558s |
| 4 | Marco Morelli | ARG | CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (KTM) | +0.631s |
| 5 | Rico Salmela | FIN | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM) | +0.660s |
| 6 | Valentin Perrone | ARG | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM) | +0.685s |
| 7 | Matteo Bertelle | ITA | LEVEL UP – MTA (KTM) | +0.746s |
| 8 | Eddie O’Shea | GBR | GRYD – Racing (Honda) | +0.821s |
| 9 | Joel Esteban | SPA | LEVEL UP – MTA (KTM) | +0.840s |
| 10 | Brian Uriarte | SPA | Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) | +0.930s |
