Hold onto your helmets, folks! Marco Bezzecchi has just rewritten the record books at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, leaving everyone in awe with an absolutely blistering performance. His lap time? A mind-blowing 1:26.492! This incredible feat not only secured him the top spot on Day 1 but also set a new lap record at Phillip Island. Talk about making a statement!
Aprilia is celebrating a fantastic Friday, securing a 1-2 finish in Practice, thanks to Bezzecchi's record-breaking lap and Raul Fernandez's impressive performance. But here's where it gets interesting: Fermin Aldeguer, the recent race winner, unfortunately missed the cut for automatic Q2 entry.
Let's dive into how the practice unfolded. Francesco Bagnaia faced some early setbacks, experiencing issues with his primary bike and having to switch to his second Ducati. However, once he got comfortable, he quickly climbed the ranks.
Bezzecchi initially battled with Pedro Acosta for the lead, but Fabio Di Giannantonio briefly took over, setting a fast pace. Acosta then had a minor crash, but the real fireworks were saved for the final moments.
Home favorite Jack Miller made a strong push, briefly leading the pack. But Bezzecchi was just getting warmed up. He first set a blistering lap of 1:27.099, then followed it up with a stunning 1:26.580, shattering the previous lap record by a massive 0.666 seconds! 'Have that!' he seemed to say to the competition.
Fabio Quartararo secured a spot for Yamaha, while Alex Rins and Alex Marquez also put in strong performances. Bagnaia managed to recover and secure a spot in the top 10. But then, Bezzecchi went even faster! He clocked in at 1:26.492, solidifying his dominance and extending his lead. Fernandez then made it an Aprilia 1-2, getting within striking distance of Bezzecchi.
The spotlight then turned to Aldeguer, who was just 0.005 seconds away from making the cut. Unfortunately, he'll have to battle through Q1.
So, who made the top 10?
- Bezzecchi (Aprilia): Dominating the field.
- Fernandez (Aprilia): A strong second place.
- Di Giannantonio (Ducati): The fastest Ducati rider.
- Quartararo (Yamaha): Leading the Yamaha charge.
- Alex Marquez: Completing the top five.
- Rins
- Luca Marini
- Espargaro
- Bagnaia: Securing a spot in Q2.
- Acosta
Coming up on Saturday:
Q1 is set to be a nail-biter, with Aldeguer, Brad Binder, Miller, and Johann Zarco, among others, vying for a spot in the pole position shootout.
What are your thoughts on Bezzecchi's record-breaking performance? Do you think anyone can challenge him in qualifying? Share your opinions in the comments below!
