Acosta snatches it at the last moment: fastest time in wet-dry FP1 in Brazil

The MotoGP leader delivers a late sting, fastest time on the Brazilian track in MotoGP FP1. Report and standings.

A mixed wet-dry opening session with Pedro Acosta only grabbing the top at the very end, a final burst that holds off all rivals, primarily Marc Marquez and the Aprilias. There are still patches of water when MotoGP first hits the track at Autodromo Ayrton Senna, and only in the final quarter-hour do we see hints of slicks, but the rain compounds are still the more trustworthy for now, as shown by much of the top order (except Miller sneaking into P2 at the flag). We’ll see how it evolves; for now, here are the results.

As mentioned, the track is patchy-wet, so rain tires (soft-medium for almost everyone, except Rins and Martin on medium-medium) to start the first MotoGP session at the circuit dedicated to Ayrton Senna. The motorsport legend is also honored on home hero Diogo Moreira’s helmet, delighting a very patient crowd in the stands after earlier rain caused significant delays. Moreira has a minor harmless run-off into the gravel, and later the same happens to Acosta. As Gresini Racing had hoped, the Brazilian GP marks the return and thus the season debut for Fermin Aldeguer, sidelined during winter testing and the opening round by a leg injury.

Noted on the timesheets is Miller’s attempt to head out on slicks in the first part of the session, but it was still too early, as Marquez soon proved: with rain tires he locks down the top spot he’d grabbed in the very first minutes. With less than 10 minutes to go, however, there’s a change at the top: Jorge Martin arrives flat-out and takes the lead, but it lasts only a few minutes—just enough time to see Marc Marquez back in action and back in front. But it’s in the final second that everything is decided: Pedro Acosta ignites and lands the killer blow—he’s the fastest in FP1 on the green-and-gold track.