MotoGP’s return to Goiânia is officially underway — and Friday delivered everything from delays and mixed conditions to surprise names at the top.
Back at the Autódromo Ayrton Senna for the first time in 22 years, the paddock was immediately met with disruption. Heavy rain earlier in the day flooded parts of the circuit, forcing a delay to the opening session and leaving riders to tackle a surface far from ideal.
Once the action began, one thing quickly became clear: timing and track conditions would define everything.
Delayed Free Practice 1
The opening session got underway after an hour’s delay and was all about adaptation. With damp patches scattered across the circuit, riders approached the early laps cautiously — but it didn’t take long for the pace to build.
It was Pedro Acosta who led the way, setting the early benchmark as confidence slowly returned on the evolving surface.
But the conditions kept everyone on edge. Several riders were caught out as the grip varied from corner to corner. Marc Márquez had a notable moment running wide while pushing on a flying lap, while Marco Bezzecchi also overshot a braking zone as he searched for grip.
Brad Binder and Jack Miller both had small scares through the more technical sections, each forced to sit the bike up and run off-line to avoid losing the front.
The biggest drama came from Raúl Fernández, who suffered a minor low-side during the session. The Spaniard was quick to remount and rejoin, with no lasting issues.
Despite the moments, there were no major consequences. The focus remained on understanding how the track was evolving rather than pushing for ultimate pace.
By the end of FP1, the timesheets told the story — a tightly packed field, multiple manufacturers in the mix, and less than a second covering a large portion of the grid.
Rain troubled Practice session
With more rain looming over Goiânia, the afternoon session immediately turned into a time attack.
Riders rushed out early, fully aware that any delay or sudden downpour could cost them a place in Q2 — and that urgency led to mistakes.
Track limits and low grip caught out several riders almost immediately. Francesco Bagnaia ran wide on multiple occasions while trying to piece together a fast lap, while Marc Márquez also had another moment, drifting off-line after encountering rain spots mid-corner.
Not long into the session, light rain began to fall — and just like that, the window for improvements started to close.
At the front, Zarco made perfect use of the conditions.
The Honda rider fired in a 1:21.257, securing top spot ahead of Márquez, who recovered well from his earlier scare to take second.
One of the standout performances came from rookie Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, who stormed to third and continues to impress in his debut MotoGP season.
Jorge Martín and Pedro Acosta rounded out the top five, both consistently quick throughout the day.
Incidents and late drama
Further down the order, the session proved far more difficult as Turn 4 became the biggest trouble spot of the afternoon.
Binder, Miller, and home favourite Diogo Moreira were all caught out there — each suffering crashes in separate incidents as the front end washed away in tricky conditions. All three riders walked away unharmed, but the repeated falls highlighted just how unpredictable the surface had become.
Elsewhere, Marco Bezzecchi narrowly avoided a crash with a big moment on the corner exit, while Raúl Fernández ran wide again late in the session, unable to improve his time.
Meanwhile, Bagnaia found himself under increasing pressure as the session progressed. Despite multiple attempts, the Ducati rider struggled to hook up a clean lap — but just managed to secure a place inside the top ten, sneaking directly into Q2.
In contrast, Bezzecchi missed out and will have to fight his way through Q1 on Saturday.
As the rain intensified in the closing minutes, lap times froze — locking in the order and confirming the Q2 runners.
Busy weekend still ahead
Friday in Brazil proved one thing — nothing is guaranteed.
Mixed conditions, constant incidents, and rapidly changing grip levels have already shaken up the order, and with more unpredictable weather expected, adaptability will be crucial.
With Free Practice 2, qualifying, and the Sprint still to come, MotoGP’s return to Goiânia is only just getting started — and if Friday is anything to go by, there’s plenty more drama ahead.
Feature image courtesy of Castrol Honda LCR