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Fabio Di Giannantonio quickest at Grand Prix Italy Practice, Marc Marquez through to Q2 after return from surgery
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Published 29/05/2026 at 17:43 GMT+1
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Fabio Di Giannantonio was quickest at Practice on Friday at Grand Prix Italy with the returning Marc Marquez advancing to Q2 in his first outing since a shoulder operation.
'He's supremely fit' - Crutchlow makes return to MotoGP at Grand Prix Italy
Video credit: TNT Sports
The VR46 rider won last time out at Grand Prix Catalunya and continued his strong form in the morning at Free Practice 1, before securing a passage to Q2 for Saturday’s qualifying at Mugello, shown live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
Di Giannantonio leads the way for the Ducati manufacturer, with the Italian setup represented at No. 2 in the rankings by factory team rider Francesco Bagnaia.
The Italian has endured a rough time since the start of the previous season but is in eighth spot overall in the world championship standings.
His stablemate Marquez has made a surprise return to racing after an operation on his shoulder to remove a damaged screw which had been impinging his ability to race in recent months.
Marquez had missed the previous race weekend in Spain but was declared fit for the race action in Tuscany and TNT Sports pundit Neil Hodgson observed that even before any action he had looked much more confident in the paddock.
While it is too soon to judge just how much more comfortable he really is on the bike, he was sixth-quickest on Friday, putting him straight through to the second session of qualifying.
- Marquez out of Italy and Hungary races after undergoing surgery
- Martin taken to hospital after yet another crash during Catalunya test
- Di Giannantonio earns praise after injury scare in Catalunya victory
Third in the standings was Enea Bastianini for KTM Tech3.
Another Ducati satellite team, BK8 Gresini, were without Marc Marquez’s younger brother Alex, who suffered a huge crash last time out.
The team’s other rider, Fermin Aldeguer, was fifth quickest, suggesting that the teams with the Ducati models could be the dominant force over the coming days.
Frankie Morbidelli of VR46 was fourth fastest, meaning five out of the top six riders were on Ducati bikes.
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Highlights: Di Giannantonio wins Grand Prix Catalunya as Marquez suffers huge crash
Video credit: TNT Sports
Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi and team-mate Jorge Martin had appeared on course to run away with the title before their difficult showing at Grand Prix Catalunya and they were seventh and eighth quickest, respectively, in Practice.
With Di Giannantonio in third place on the leaderboard, another impressive showing from the Italian and other Ducati bikes could throw the momentum of the teams in the other direction as the European leg of the season continues.
Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM is fourth in the championship but will have to fight his way out of Q1 after finishing 13th quickest in Practice.
Fifth in the championship is Trackhouse's Ai Ogura, who was 11th fastest, also relegating him to Q1.
The 40-year-old Honda rider Cal Crutchlow made a return to riding for Honda to replace the injured Johann Zarco and he was the slowest of all riders, more than three seconds off the pace.
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