On Saturday morning at Jerez, Marc Marquez made history by securing his first pole position since joining the Gresini Ducati team. He had already made waves by securing a front row spot in the previous race at the Americas GP.
During the qualifying session, Marquez set the initial fastest time despite the damp conditions. A last-minute switch to a medium wet tire allowed him to clock a time of 1 minute and 46.773 seconds, securing his first pole position since the Portuguese Grand Prix last year.
This achievement comes just a day after Marquez expressed confidence in his adaptation to the Ducati, stating that his adjustment period was over.
Marco Bezzecchi from the VR46 team held onto second place, with Jorge Martin from Pramac completing the front row. Brad Binder qualified fourth after making it through a wet Q1 session, while last year’s Spanish GP winner Francesco Bagnaia ended up in seventh place on his factory Ducati.
Although the rain had eased by the time Q2 began, the track remained wet, making it unsuitable for slick tires. Initially, only a few riders opted for the medium wet tire, with most switching to it for their second runs.
During the session, Tech3 rookie Pedro Acosta set a blistering pace but unfortunately crashed on his final flying lap. Bezzecchi briefly took provisional pole with a time of 1 minute and 47.044 seconds, but Marquez soon overtook him with a time of 1 minute and 46.773 seconds.
Despite a minor slip at Turn 1 on his final lap, Marquez secured his 93rd career pole position. Martin, Binder, and Fabio Di Giannantonio completed the top five.
Other notable performances include Alex Marquez in sixth place, reigning champion Bagnaia in seventh, and rookie sensation Acosta in tenth after his late crash.
In terms of team performance, Honda rider Johann Zarco led in 13th place, while Yamaha struggled with Fabio Quartararo in 23rd and Alex Rins at the bottom of the grid.
