Watch MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix — Practice 2 Free.

What's at Stake

The second practice session at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli is one of the most critical hours of the weekend, as riders must secure a top-ten finish to guarantee direct entry into Saturday's Q2 qualifying shootout. Missing out on the top ten forces riders into the high-pressure Q1 session, severely compromising their starting grid prospects for both the Sprint and the main Grand Prix. With the championship battle intensifying, securing a direct Q2 spot is vital for the title contenders to avoid midfield traffic and potential opening-lap incidents.

Form Guide

As the paddock arrives in San Marino, the battle at the front of the grid remains incredibly tight, with Ducati's stable of riders continuing to set the benchmark for outright pace. Misano's unique layout, featuring a mix of high-speed sweeps and hard braking zones, traditionally favors bikes with strong rear-wheel traction and stability on entry. Recent rounds have shown that finding an immediate setup window during Friday's sessions is crucial, as any delay in adapting to the track's grip levels can leave teams chasing setup compromises for the rest of the weekend.

Key Players to Watch

• Francesco Bagnaia — The Italian powerhouse considers Misano his home turf and will look to leverage his immense local experience to dominate the timing screens early on.
• Jorge Martin — Known for his explosive single-lap speed, the Spaniard is always a threat to top the Friday timesheets as he hunts for an immediate psychological edge over his rivals.
• Marc Marquez — A master of finding grip in tricky conditions, his aggressive riding style and historic success at the Misano circuit make him a prime candidate to secure a comfortable Q2 spot.

Prediction

Expect Ducati to dominate the upper echelons of the timing sheets, with Francesco Bagnaia ultimately topping the Practice 2 session to secure his direct passage to Q2. His intimate knowledge of the Misano circuit and refined setup data should give him a tenth of a second advantage over a hard-charging Jorge Martin. The battle for the final Q2 spots will likely come down to the final seconds, with late soft-tyre time attacks shuffling the order dramatically.