The #89 takes pole by 0.043 from the reigning Champion, with Viñales third for Aprilia and Marquez fourth after crashing out of his chance at pole.
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) set a new lap record to deny Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) pole position at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, with the two split by just 0.043 at the top. Bagnaia has a three-place grid penalty for Sunday, but not Saturday, so he’ll line up second for the Tissot Sprint. Completing the front row on Aprilia Racing’s home turf is Maverick Viñales, with Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) forced to settle for fourth after a crash at Scarperia on what could have been a pole-threatening lap.
Q1: LAP RECORD SMASHED
The big names and home heroes were raring to make their mark on Q1. After a flurry of early activity it was Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) leading the way from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46), but the second runs saw it all change again – at first at least.
Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) put in a fast one and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), but a final push from Morbidelli saw the Pramac rider set a new lap record to take back to the top. He moved through along with Raul Fernandez, with Binder left P13 on the grid.
Q2: LAP RECORD SMASHED & #93 CRASH
Martin came out swinging in Q2 to set the first real benchmark, 0.043 ahead of Bagnaia, but the #1 was looking to hit back quickly. Up in the first sector, absolutely equal to Martin with +0.000 in the second and then just over tenth up in the third, it looked like he was on course to take over but over the line, it was just 0.068s off, leaving his previous effort as his best.
Next to try and look for an answer was Marc Marquez. The #93 was setting red sectors before it then suddenly all came apart and the front folded – leaving him fourth on the grid at best.
The final serious attack came from Viñales. The Aprilia was up right round the lap until the final sector, then just coming up short and unable to challenge Bagnaia and Martin. Bagnaia couldn’t find another challenge for the #89 either, with a lap gone for yellow flags too. Martin, gearing up for a final push, then encountered Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) at San Donato after the #73 had shot past him on the straight, and that was that. Still, for the Championship leader, the job was already done – and with a new lap record to boot.
THE GRID(S)
Martin takes pole as he looks to spoil the home turf party for his rivals but make it even better for his Prima Pramac Racing team, with Bagnaia second on the grid for the Sprint but then set to take that three-place penalty on Sunday, dropping him to fifth on the grid. That changes the grids for a few riders. On Saturday it’s Martin, Bagnaia, Viñales, Marc Marquez and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) in that order in the top five, but on Sunday it will be Martin, Viñales, Marc Marquez, Bastianini and then Bagnaia in P5. All of them broke the old lap record in Q2.
Behind them comes Q1 record setter Morbidelli as he completes Row 2 in P6, the first of those unaffected by the Bagnaia penalty. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) is next up as the superstar rookie takes P7, but that’s one record now out of reach as he loses the chance to take the record of youngest ever premier class polesitter from Quartararo.
Alex Marquez improved on the lap he was starting when just ahead of Martin, taking P8, ahead of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™). The Trackhouse duo complete the Q2 runners, with Miguel Oliveira 0.081 off Rins and Raul Fernandez the exact same 0.081 off Oliveira.
Binder starts P13 ahead of Diggia, with the two joined on that row by Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) in 15th. Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) is at the head of Row 6 as a tougher season continues on home turf so far.
The stage is set for a stunning set of showdowns at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, with the reining Champion and winner of the last two at Mugello starting from two different grid positions after that – in his words – “clown penalty”. Join us for both from the stunning Tuscan venue!
SATURDAY
TISSOT SPRINT: 15:00 (UTC +2)
SUNDAY
GRAND PRIX: 14:00 (UTC +2)
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