Connor Andrews is Formula 1 and MotoGP writer for GPblog and various outlets. Having worked in motorsport for 15 years for leading companies, he has interviewed the sports biggest names and attended multiple Grands Prix.
Practice at the Australian Grand Prix in Phillip Island was the most eventful of the season, with a crash and an animal interruption.
Marco Bezzecchi led the timesheets with an 1'26.775 ahead of Raul Fernandez and Marc Marquez, with Bezzecchi continuing his form from a race win last time out in Indonesia.
The Aprilia rider, who is third in the championship and 46 points off teammate and leader Jorge Martin, shockingly made contact with Alex Marquez.
Bezzecchi and Alex Marquez collide as debris forces first red flag
With just 10 minutes on the clock, Bezzecchi trailed Marquez through Turn 4 but on the exit he touched the back of the Gresini and a huge part of his fairing then launched into the air.
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Marquez was able to continue with an angry shake of his head, but Bezzecchi went off and into the gravel as the session was red-flagged to recover the sizeable piece of bodywork.
Kangaroo brings Phillip Island practice to another unexpected halt
However, just eight minutes later, the red flags were back out, but not for a rider; instead, a kangaroo.
Phillip Island is famed for its penguins, which people flock to watch on the beach, but this time it was Australia’s national animal that caused everyone to head back to the pitlane.
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Thankfully, the fairly big kangaroo wasn’t in a dangerous area for the riders nor itself, and it quickly performed an impressive leap over the barriers to freedom.
The session then got back underway without any further issues, and both Marquez and Bezzecchi were able to continue despite their earlier contact.
Marquez did, however, crash his Gresini with two minutes to go, but had already recorded a decent sixth-place.
Bezzecchi tops Australian GP practice despite dramatic incident
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Bezzecchi, meanwhile, keeps up his leading pace from his race win in Indonesia last time out, and another strong showing this weekend would bring him right back into the title picture.
Home hero Jack Miller earlier went third in FP1, but was unable to follow it up and will have to go through Q1 after a 12th-place finish.
MotoGP Phillip Island Full Practice Results
| Pos. | Num | Rider | Time |
| 1 | 72 | M. Bezzecchi | 1'26.775 |
| 2 | 25 | R. Fernandez | +0.072 |
| 3 | 93 | M. Marquez | +0.126 |
| 4 | 79 | A. Ogura | +0.126 |
| 5 | 89 | J. Martin | +0.255 |
| 6 | 73 | A. Marquez | +0.375 |
| 7 | 23 | E. Bastianini | +0.407 |
| 8 | 37 | P. Acosta | +0.433 |
| 9 | 11 | D. Moreira | +0.744 |
| 10 | 49 | F. Di Giannantonio | +0.756 |
| Taking part in Q1 | |||
| 11 | 5 | J. Zarco | +0.782 |
| 12 | 43 | J. Miller | +0.823 |
| 13 | 33 | B. Binder | +0.880 |
| 14 | 63 | F. Bagnaia | +0.952 |
| 15 | 20 | F. Quartararo | +1.051 |
| 16 | 27 | I. Lecuona | +1.065 |
| 17 | 21 | F. Morbidelli | +1.204 |
| 18 | 42 | A. Rins | +1.341 |
| 19 | 12 | M. Viñales | +1.377 |
| 20 | 47 | A. Fernandez | +2.045 |
| 21 | 10 | L. Marini | 0.000 |
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