Overview
- Marco Bezzecchi set the fastest time in Friday practice at Phillip Island with a 1:26.775, narrowly ahead of Raul Fernandez and Marc Marquez.
- The afternoon session was stopped twice after Bezzecchi clipped Alex Marquez and scattered debris, then when a wallaby entered the circuit, and several riders crashed but walked away uninjured.
- Aprilia occupied most of the top places in timed running, prompting Ducati to test swingarm-mounted aero and marking the manufacturer battle for pace this weekend.
- The riders' championship remains razor-close with Jorge Martin two points clear of Marc Marquez and five rounds left, making qualifying and the sprint especially consequential for title hopes.
- Phillip Island is hosting its final MotoGP this weekend before the race moves to an Adelaide street circuit in 2027, and riders must also manage illness and weather risks after Luca Marini withdrew with a virus and rain is forecast for the weekend.