MISANO, ITALY – Home hero Marco Bezzecchi delivered a sensational late charge to secure pole position for the San Marino Grand Prix, thrilling the Italian fans at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. The Aprilia Racing rider clocked a blistering 1:30.134 on his penultimate lap in Q2, edging out Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) by just 0.088 seconds.

The front row is completed by a resurgent Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who stormed through from Q1 and finished just 0.094s off pole in an ultra-competitive session.

Q1: Quartararo and Aldeguer Star, Bastianini Crashes Out

The opening qualifying session saw Fabio Quartararo lead the charge with a 1:30.842, while Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) secured second and progressed to Q2 with a lap just 0.010s slower than the Frenchman.

Disappointment struck for local favorite Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who crashed at Turn 15 with five minutes remaining. The incident ruled him out of contention and relegated him to P17 on the grid.

Despite late threats from Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha) and Trackhouse MotoGP riders Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura, it was Quartararo and Aldeguer who advanced to the final shootout.

Q2: Bezzecchi Beats the Clock in Pole Battle

The Q2 session was missing Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol), who withdrew from Saturday action following a crash in practice. On track, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) set the early benchmark with a 1:30.624, but was quickly eclipsed by his brother Alex Marquez, who posted a then-session-best 1:30.222.

Bezzecchi slotted into provisional P2 behind the younger Marquez, with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) close behind. However, a dramatic moment came when Acosta crashed at Turn 14 while on a hot lap.

As the clock ticked down, Francesco Bagnaia, Bezzecchi, and Jorge Martin all made small errors on their opening second-run laps, while Marc Marquez and Acosta lit up the timing screens before the latter’s fall.

Bagnaia recovered to jump to P4, but it was Quartararo and Bezzecchi who made headlines. The Yamaha rider briefly took P2 before Bezzecchi delighted the home crowd by seizing provisional pole. Quartararo responded with another strong lap but fell just short, cementing P3 on the grid.

Final Top 12 Grid – San Marino MotoGP

1. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) – 1:30.134
2. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) – +0.088s
3. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – +0.094s
4. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team)
5. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)
6. Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) – Best qualifying result with HRC
7. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)
8. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)
9. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
10. Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP)
11. Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing)
12. Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP)

What’s Next: Sprint Time at Misano

With three different manufacturers and three different nationalities represented on the front row, the stage is set for a spectacular Tissot Sprint this afternoon. Watch out for Marc Marquez from P4, with proven sprint speed and a title on the line.

Don’t miss the 13-lap Sprint showdown at Misano – it’s going to be fast, fierce, and full of fireworks.