Overview

• Friday practice in Indonesia put Marco Bezzecchi on top as Marc Márquez crashed twice and missed direct Q2 by 0.068 seconds, with Francesco Bagnaia 17th and also bound for Q1 while Alex Márquez secured the final automatic Q2 spot.
• Bagnaia has publicly committed to chasing Alex Márquez for second in the standings despite a 66-point gap with five race weekends remaining.
• The Ducati rider says he will avoid early bike changes at Mandalika and focus on adapting his riding at a circuit he admits has not suited him.
• Bagnaia reports the Motegi smoke was caused by a small filter issue, and Ducati has told him the engine remains safe and in his allocation.
• Alex Márquez plans to defend his cushion by prioritizing consistency, and reports indicate Ducati’s factory squad is on track to seal the teams’ title in Indonesia.