MotoGP Czech Republic 2026: Aprilia throws down the gauntlet to Ducati, Ogura surprises everyone on Friday in Brno

The Japanese rookie sets the fastest time in Practice, Bezzecchi confirms the potential of the RS-GP. Marquez crashes twice but remains among the protagonists, Bagnaia works on race pace

Brno has once again delivered a spectacle. Friday at the Czech Republic Grand Prix confirmed just how much the Czech circuit can still highlight riders' talent and the technical level of modern MotoGP. After years of absence from the calendar, the Automotodrom welcomed the Moto World Championship with an intense day, marked by constant changes at the top, high-profile crashes and ever-faster times up to the new track record.

Ai Ogura took centre stage. The Trackhouse rider surprised the entire paddock by finishing ahead of everyone in the afternoon Practice session, showing growing maturity in managing the weekend and confirming Aprilia's excellent form. Behind him, Marco Bezzecchi reiterated that the RS-GP can realistically aim for victory, while Ducati continues to be the benchmark on race pace with Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia.

Ogura sets the track record and confirms Aprilia's progress

If Friday was meant to provide an initial technical reference, the verdict was clear: Aprilia arrived in Brno with the aim of ending Ducati's dominance.

Ai Ogura read the Czech track to perfection, steadily improving his rhythm across the two sessions until he claimed the overall fastest time. The Japanese rider made the most of a bike that was particularly effective in direction changes and through fast corners, fundamental characteristics on a historic circuit like Brno.

At the end of the day, the rookie explained that he felt immediately at ease, stressing how the feeling with the bike came from the very first laps. A result that provides further confirmation of the growth of the Trackhouse project and the work carried out by Aprilia over the course of the season.

Bezzecchi targets the podium: “The bike is there, we just need to refine the details”

If Ogura is the surprise of the day, Marco Bezzecchi continues to be a certainty.

The Italian finished in the leading positions, showing an extremely consistent pace, especially in the race simulations. The RS-GP proved competitive both with new tyres and over long runs, hinting at significant margins ahead of the Sprint Race.

Bezzecchi said he was satisfied with the work done, while admitting he still has some physical discomfort after the previous weekend. Nothing, however, that could compromise the fight for the podium. The stated goal remains to refine some setup details in order to be even more competitive in qualifying.

Marc Marquez fast despite two crashes

Marc Marquez's day was probably the most intense among all the protagonists.

The Spaniard had started the weekend by immediately setting a very high pace in FP1, confirming his feeling with the Desmosedici GP. Two crashes then followed, both without physical consequences, while he was searching for the limit in the most demanding braking zones of the circuit.

Despite the incidents, the Ducati Lenovo rider still managed to secure direct access to Q2, once again demonstrating an absolute speed that is difficult to match.

At the end of Practice, Marquez explained that both slides were the result of his constant search for the limit. He stressed that today he prefers to avoid any unnecessary physical risk, recalling how important it is to arrive intact at the decisive stages of the championship. The Spaniard also urged caution in judging the values emerging from Friday, explaining that the real comparison will only come between the Sprint and the long race.

Bagnaia prepares the comeback by focusing on race pace

Francesco Bagnaia took a different approach.

The Ducati rider preferred to sacrifice lap time in order to focus on development work on the Desmosedici, dedicating much of the day to finding the best configuration ahead of Sunday's race.

The pace shown during the longer stints still leaves extremely positive feelings. Bagnaia looked competitive especially in managing used tyres, an aspect that could become decisive in the Sprint Race and the Grand Prix.

Saturday will therefore be crucial to improve the single-lap performance and start from the front rows of the grid.

Alex Marquez back on track after injury

One of Friday's most significant moments was the return of Alex Marquez.

After the heavy crash that had forced him to miss the previous round, the Gresini team rider was finally back in the saddle, completing the full work programme planned.

The Spaniard said he sees this appearance in Brno as a small personal victory. The aim is not yet to fight immediately for the leading positions, but to rediscover confidence and continuity after particularly difficult weeks.

Ducati and Aprilia, the battle has only just begun

The indications from Friday point to a balance rarely seen in recent months.

Aprilia has shown that it has a bike that is extremely effective over a single lap, while Ducati continues to impress for consistency and race management. KTM and Yamaha also showed encouraging signs, confirming an increasingly high overall level in MotoGP.

Saturday qualifying could be decided by a few thousandths, while the Sprint Race promises an open battle between Ogura, Bezzecchi, Marquez, Bagnaia, Di Giannantonio and the other protagonists.

Brno's return to the World Championship calendar seems to have given MotoGP back one of its most fascinating circuits. A track capable of bringing out riders' talent, testing the technical qualities of the bikes and offering a spectacle that could also become decisive in the race for the world title.