Marco Bezzecchi explains Brazil MotoGP practice disaster

Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi says “something wasn't right” with his bike in Practice at the MotoGP Brazilian Grand Prix, which left him out of the Q2 places in 20th.

The Thailand Grand Prix winner was expected to hold onto his favourite tag coming into the Brazil weekend, owing to the circuit’s layout and the tyre choice from Michelin suiting the Aprilia.

Despite a solid start to Friday’s action in a damp FP1, Marco Bezzecchi endured a disastrous Practice.

Though the track was dry enough for slicks, rain continued to fall on the Ayrton Senna circuit, with Bezzecchi unable to put a Q2-contending lap together when conditions were at their best.

With about half an hour remaining in the session, the rain grew stronger, and Bezzecchi was consigned to a first Q1 appearance of the season after ending the afternoon two seconds off the pace in 20th.

Speaking to the media on Friday evening, Bezzecchi says there was an issue with his bike in Practice, but Aprilia doesn’t yet know what it was.

“In the afternoon, especially on the first run, which was the most favourable for setting a fast lap due to the weather, something wasn't right with the Aprilia,” he is reported by Motorsport Spain as saying.

“But we still don't know what it is.

“The engineers are looking into it. It’s difficult to say what's wrong with the bike.”

“In the end, I tried to take a risk because I was near the back of the grid,” he added.

“The problem is that I missed my chance in the best track conditions; I wasn't fast enough.

“Right now, my only goal is to improve, but we know that Q1 is always very competitive.

“The track is fun. The only problem is that the asphalt doesn't dry. If it rains, the wet patches stay there all day.”

Bezzecchi is one of two Aprilias currently out of the Q2 pole shootout session, after Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse Racing struggled to 21st in Practice.

Jorge Martin led the Aprilia charge in fourth, as he grows in confidence on the RS-GP, while Ai Ogura sneaked into 10th on the second Trackhouse bike.