Australian Round Free Practice

Jaume Masia started his 2026 campaign exactly where he left off in testing, topping the first official practice session of the season on Friday, February 20, 2026. Masia’s objective was to confirm his "favorite" status early, and he delivered a clinical 1'32.607 lap on his Ducati Panigale V2.

His pace was consistent throughout his long runs, signaling a warning shot to his competitors that the #5 machine will be the one to beat in the opening race. The session highlights a competitive and diverse top five, with Philipp Oettl securing second place, just 0.151 seconds behind the Spaniard.

Ondrej Vostatek impressed on the Triumph to take third, while home favorite Oli Bayliss kept the Australian fans cheered by placing his machine in fourth. The new ZXMOTO factory project also showed immediate promise, as Valentin Debise piloted the brand-new 820RR to a strong fifth-place finish.

While Can Öncü and Lucas Mahias remained within striking distance in the top ten, the session was largely defined by Masia's ability to extract performance from the Ducati in the fluctuating morning temperatures.