Marco Bezzecchi beats Marc Marquez to crucial Qatar MotoGP pole
Marco Bezzecchi posts a new lap record to take pole in Qatar MotoGP qualifying
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi scored a crucial pole position ahead of MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez in a tense Qatar Grand Prix qualifying.
Marquez comes into the Qatar weekend facing his first match point in the 2026 title race, depending on what happens in Saturday afternoon’s sprint.
Simply, Marquez has to outscore Jorge Martin by 30 points and Marco Bezzecchi by eight points this weekend to seal an eighth world title.
But Bezzecchi is not giving up on his remote title hopes without a fight, after an impressive display in qualifying on Saturday afternoon at Lusail.
The Aprilia rider found a new lap record of 1m50.028s to beat Marquez by 0.266s for his fifth pole of the season.
Fabio Di Giannantonio completed the top three for VR46 Ducati, while Jorge Martin struggled to 11th on the sister factory team Aprilia.
Marquez got the ball rolling in Q2 with a new lap record on his factory Ducati, as he posted a 1m50.361s to take top spot on his first flying lap.
But this was bested by Bezzecchi soon after, who found a 1m50.065s on his second lap, after his first was scuppered by yellow flags for Brad Binder’s early Turn 1 crash.
Marquez tried to respond on his final run in Q2, but could no more than improve to a 1m50.294s in second.
Bezzecchi’s pole was secured, but he cemented it with a final effort of 1m50.028s to beat Marquez in a crucial qualifying battle.
Di Giannantonio, who toppled the lap record on Friday evening was third on a 1m50.327s.
Raul Fernandez was the next-best Aprilia in fourth for Trackhouse, while Pecco Bagnaia was fifth on the second factory Ducatis.
Ai Ogura rounded out the second row on the sister Trackhouse Aprilia.
Johann Zarco was seventh for LCR Honda, while Pedro Acosta was eighth for KTM, having come through Q1.
Q1 pacesetter Fermin Aldeguer was ninth on the Gresini Ducati, while Tech3 KTM’s Enea Bastianini was 11th.
Martin was unhappy with Acosta at the end of Q2, having felt like the Spaniard got in his way on his final flying lap.
But the Aprilia’s time was not set to bump him up much higher than the 11th he finished. Binder was 12th.
