The 2025 Argentina MotoGP FP1 session at Termas de Río Hondo delivered an exhilarating opening to the weekend, with Marc Marquez once again showcasing his dominance.
The session unfolded under challenging conditions, as overnight rain left the track damp in some areas, though it dried sufficiently for slick tires to be used throughout the 45-minute practice.
Despite the tricky surface, riders pushed their limits on slick tyres throughout the 45-minute Argentina MotoGP FP1 as the track dried steadily, setting the stage for what promises to be an intense weekend of racing.
Ducati Lenovo’s Marc Marquez continued his stellar form from the season opener in Thailand, where he secured a double victory. Returning to Argentina for the first time since 2019, the six-time premier world champion wasted no time before dominating the timesheets.
Although Marquez was among the last riders to take to the track, he quickly found his rhythm and set the first sub-1:40 lap of the weekend. His best time of 1m38.937s not only topped the timesheets but also dipped under the official Termas de Río Hondo lap record.
The performance highlighted Marquez’s ability to adapt quickly to varying conditions while he reaffirmed his status as a clear 2025 MotoGP championship contender.
Meanwhile, LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco emerged as Marquez’s closest rival during the 2025 Argentina MotoGP FP1 session. Zarco initially set the benchmark with a series of impressive laps, including a 1m38.963s that briefly put him at the top.
Johann Zarco’s performance on the satellite Honda was impressive as he traded positions with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati) throughout the session.
The French rider’s consistency and familiarity with the circuit—where he finished second in 2023—highlighted Honda’s competitiveness, with three RC213Vs inside the top ten. However, Marc Marquez’s late surge in the final minutes of the session edged him out by a mere 0.026 seconds.
Marc’s younger brother Alex Marquez secured third place following yet another strong showing. Having previously claimed pole position at Termas de Río Hondo in 2023, Alex demonstrated his familiarity with the circuit by clocking a time just 0.066s shy of Zarco’s.
VR46 Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli finished fourth, delivering a solid performance that hinted at his growing confidence on the GP25. Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi, riding for Aprilia and last year’s Argentina MotoGP winner rounded out the top five.
Bezzecchi’s ability to consistently perform at the Termas de Río Hondo circuit makes him one to watch as the weekend progresses.
Further down the 2025 Argentina MotoGP FP1 order, Luca Marini placed sixth on his factory Honda, followed by Jack Miller on his Pramac Yamaha in seventh.
Maverick Viñales, representing Tech3 KTM, secured eighth place and was the fastest KTM rider of the session. Joan Mir made it three Hondas in the top ten with a ninth-place finish on his factory RC213V, while Pedro Acosta rounded out the top ten for KTM.
Notably absent from the upper echelons of the timesheets was Pecco Bagnaia, Marquez’s teammate at Ducati Lenovo and a former champion.
Bagnaia struggled throughout FP1, finishing a distant 16th after battling rear grip issues. His time of 1m40.288s left him over 1.3 seconds adrift of Marquez’s benchmark.
Despite running medium tires for the entire session without making changes, Bagnaia appeared unable to find a competitive rhythm.
Among the rookies, Ai Ogura led the charge in 15th place for Trackhouse Racing but admitted that Termas de Río Hondo is not one of his stronger circuits.
Ogura’s teammate Raul Fernandez experienced a minor setback with a tip-off at Turn 1 early in the session but managed to rejoin without significant damage.
