Mixed weather conditions following overnight rain disrupted the opening day of track action in Goiânia, as riders faced a delayed and unpredictable start to proceedings at Brazil’s newly introduced MotoGP venue. The evolving surface conditions made the first sessions particularly challenging, placing greater emphasis on adaptability rather than outright pace.
Against this backdrop, Castrol Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco emerged as the standout performer. He delivered a benchmark lap of 1:21.257, which remained unbeaten by the end of the session, securing him the top position on the combined timesheets.
Earlier in the session, Jorge Martin, the 2024 world champion, was the first to break into the 1m22s barrier, setting a 1:21.556 on the factory Aprilia before Zarco went over a quarter of a second quicker to take the top spot.
His performance was notable given the limited number of laps completed in the most difficult conditions. While others struggled to find consistency, Zarco demonstrated strong control and confidence, extracting performance from the bike even as grip levels fluctuated throughout the session.
Based on MotoGP’s current weekend format, the reference to “Q2” stems from the results of the Practice session (formerly FP2). The top ten riders from this session automatically qualify for Qualifying 2 (Q2), bypassing Q1. By finishing first, Zarco not only set the pace but also comfortably secured direct entry into Q2, placing himself in a strong position for the remainder of the weekend.
Reflecting on his performance, Zarco indicated that the changing weather conditions proved useful in understanding the bike’s behaviour across different scenarios. He approached the session by pushing in each set of conditions despite their difficulty, and although his running time was limited, it was sufficient to produce a competitive lap.
While encouraged by topping the timesheets, he acknowledged that a clearer picture of performance would only emerge in stable, dry conditions. Nonetheless, he expressed confidence in both the track and the team’s potential heading into the rest of the weekend.
