Four Aprilias straight through to Q2 at end of Friday in Qatar

Nov 8, 2026 Michael Le Pard News

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MARCO BEZZECCHI THIRD, JORGE MARTÍN SEVENTH. FERNÁNDEZ FIFTH AND OGURA NINTH FOR SUPERFILE TRACKHOUSE MOTOGP TEAM
Aprilia Racing closed the opening day of practice at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar with four RS-GP26s in the top ten.

Marco Bezzecchi steadily improved throughout the day, staying among the leaders, finishing second in FP1 and third in practice, which took him straight through to Q2.

Jorge Martín had an intense and positive day, though he is not yet back to full fitness after the injury sustained in the sprint at Phillip Island. He finished FP1 fifth and practice seventh, earning direct entry to Q2 – a result that highlights his great determination.

The SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team riders also deserve a mention, with Raúl Fernández finishing practice in fifth and Ai Ogura ninth, a result that puts four Aprilia RS-GP26s straight through to Q2.
I felt good on the medium tyre straight away, but it’s only Friday. There are still a few things to improve, though it was a good start. We struggled a lot in Qatar last year, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The feeling was good from the outset, and I had a lot of fun. It was incredible to see the progress we’ve made since then, so a big thank you to everyone at Noale and at Aprilia.
I’m happy and proud of the work I’ve done, given that it’s only been a few days since the injury. I got better and better, and I had a good feeling on the RS-GP26. By the evening I was a lot stronger than I had been in the afternoon. Right now, we need to improve the time attack, because when I try to push, I feel the pain more.
It was a good start, with all the Aprilias straight through to Q2. Marco was competitive from the outset, both on the time attack and on race pace. Jorge also deserves a mention for the excellent job he did in meeting his Q2 target despite the injury. We’ll work with both our riders to keep improving the bike and help them realise their full potential.

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