Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Duo Search for Pace on Phillip Island Friday

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP's Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins kicked off proceedings at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit today. The Grand Prix of Australia Practice proved a challenge. The Yamaha teammates ended the session in 15th and 18th place respectively in the classifications.

GRAND PRIX OF AUSTRALIA

PRACTICE

Phillip Island (Australia), 23rd October 2026

15th

F. Quartararo
1'27.826 / 26 LAPS

18th

Á. Rins
1'28.116 / 23 LAPS

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP's Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins started their Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit campaign on the Grand Prix of Australia Friday. The teammates ended the sunny and dry afternoon Practice session in 15th and 18th place respectively in the timesheets. This puts both riders on the entry list for tomorrow's Q1 session.

Riding with a Call of Duty-inspired helmet and matching gloves, boots, and rider number, Quartararo had finished FP1 in P9 and was keen to start off the afternoon Practice on the right foot as well. However, the Frenchman struggled to produce the same feeling in the afternoon. He posted a 1'27.826s on lap 26/26, during a late time attack, which had him ultimately rank P15 in the Practice timesheets, 1.051s from the top.

As a big fan of the Phillip Island track, Rins intended to enjoy today's sessions to the fullest. He finished the morning session in P13 and was keen to keep working in the Practice, but he didn't find the progress he was looking for. Despite improving his best morning time by 1.081s, his 1'28.116s, set on lap 23/23, put him in P18, 1.341s off today's fastest time.

The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action tomorrow for the Saturday MotoGP sessions: FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40 (GMT+11), followed by the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, and the 13-lap Sprint, which starts at 15:00.

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FABIO QUARTARARO
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider

"It was a tough day. I didn't expect it to be like that. At the last GPs, the feeling with the front was not so bad, but today it wasn't like that – and especially in Phillip Island, if you have no feeling with the front, it's difficult. If there is no rain tomorrow, we may be able to find something positive. We have no real experience in the rain with this bike, so if it does rain, let's see what we can do."

ÁLEX RINS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider

"It was a tougher day than I expected. Looking at the lap times and the pace from last year, I was expecting a bit more from today. The track conditions seem to be making the lap times a bit slower than last year too. This track isn't really demanding in terms of top speed, but it is in terms of cornering. But tomorrow is a new day, and it seems the conditions might be completely different."