Jorge Martin Takes British MotoGP Pole as Aprilia Locks Out Front Row at Silverstone

Silverstone, UK, August 8, 2026: Jorge Martin has stormed to pole position for the 2026 Qatar Airways British Grand Prix, setting a new Silverstone MotoGP lap record of 1:56.160 to beat Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez by just 0.021 seconds.

Martin returned from the MotoGP summer break in spectacular fashion, delivering a stunning final lap in qualifying to claim the first pole position of the second half of the 2026 season.

The Aprilia Racing rider will share the front row with Fernandez and his SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team teammate Ai Ogura, who qualified an impressive third to complete an Aprilia-powered sweep of the front row.

The result sets up a fascinating Tissot Sprint and British Grand Prix, with the top six riders in the MotoGP championship also occupying the first six positions on the grid, albeit in a different order apart from pole-sitter Martin.

Fabio Di Giannantonio qualified fourth for Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, while Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi took fifth. Championship contender Marc Marquez will start sixth for Ducati Lenovo Team.

Martin leaves it late to claim Silverstone pole

Qualifying was ultimately decided in the final stages of Q2, with the lap record repeatedly under threat as riders attacked the 5.9-kilometre Silverstone Circuit.

After the opening runs, Marc Marquez initially led Alex Marquez, but the order changed rapidly during the final minutes.

Bezzecchi was among the first to make a serious challenge, coming close to the lap record he had set on Friday. Raul Fernandez then produced a sensational lap of 1:56.181, establishing a new benchmark and moving to the top of the timesheets.

Ogura subsequently moved into second before Di Giannantonio climbed to third.

Martin, however, saved his best for last.

The Aprilia rider delivered a stunning final lap, maintaining red sectors throughout the run before crossing the line in 1:56.160.

That was enough to beat Fernandez by only 0.021 seconds and establish another new Silverstone MotoGP lap record.

The result also gave Aprilia a dominant lockout of the entire front row, with Martin, Fernandez and Ogura filling the top three positions.

Bezzecchi finished fifth, despite losing a piece of the rear unit of his Aprilia during the session.

Quartararo misses Q2 by just 0.050 seconds

Q1 featured several major names, including four former Silverstone winners – Fabio Quartararo, Francesco Bagnaia, Enea Bastianini and Alex Rins.

Franco Morbidelli initially led the session ahead of Diogo Moreira, but replacement rider Iker Lecuona produced a superb final lap to move into second and secure progression to Q2.

Quartararo then launched his final attack, posting a red first sector and putting himself within striking distance of the top two.

However, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider ultimately fell just short, missing out on Lecuona’s time by only 0.050 seconds.

Morbidelli and Lecuona therefore progressed to Q2, while Quartararo will start 13th on the grid, ahead of Moreira in 14th.

Championship contenders fill the first two rows

The qualifying result makes for an intriguing opening to the British GP weekend, with the championship’s leading six riders occupying the first two rows.

Martin leads the way from Fernandez and Ogura, followed by Di Giannantonio, Bezzecchi and Marc Marquez.

Alex Marquez will start seventh after qualifying at the head of Row 3. Morbidelli, who came through Q1, will start eighth, with Pedro Acosta completing the third row for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

Lecuona’s impressive performance earned him 10th, while Jack Miller was the leading Yamaha rider in 11th.

Joan Mir will start 12th for Honda HRC Castrol.

Behind Quartararo and Moreira, Luca Marini qualified 15th, with 2022 British GP winner Francesco Bagnaia facing a difficult afternoon in 16th.

Bagnaia will start ahead of Alex Rins and Brad Binder, while Enea Bastianini will line up 19th.

Cal Crutchlow impresses on MotoGP return

Home fans will have another reason to cheer, with Cal Crutchlow continuing to impress during his latest MotoGP substitute appearance.

The Briton will start 20th for Castrol Honda LCR after finishing only 0.020 seconds behind Bastianini.

Crutchlow is standing in for Johann Zarco and has shown strong pace despite having retired from full-time MotoGP competition several years ago.

Pol Espargaro, meanwhile, will start just behind Crutchlow after deputising for the recovering Maverick Viñales at Red Bull KTM Tech3.

Toprak Razgatlioglu will start 22nd for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP as he takes on Silverstone, a circuit he has not raced at since his days in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez completes the grid during his wildcard appearance.

British GP Sprint and Grand Prix timings

The Tissot Sprint at the 2026 Qatar Airways British Grand Prix is scheduled to get underway at 16:00 local time on Saturday, with the lights going out at Silverstone in front of what promises to be a packed crowd.

The main British MotoGP Grand Prix will follow on Sunday at 13:00 local time.

With Martin starting from pole, three Aprilia-powered machines occupying the front row and the championship’s top six riders filling the first two rows, Silverstone is perfectly positioned for another dramatic chapter in the 2026 MotoGP title fight.

2026 British MotoGP Qualifying Grid

1. Jorge Martin – Aprilia Racing
2. Raul Fernandez – Trackhouse MotoGP Team
3. Ai Ogura – Trackhouse MotoGP Team
4. Fabio Di Giannantonio – Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team
5. Marco Bezzecchi – Aprilia Racing
6. Marc Marquez – Ducati Lenovo Team
7. Alex Marquez – BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP
8. Franco Morbidelli – Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team
9. Pedro Acosta – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
10. Iker Lecuona – BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP
11. Jack Miller – Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
12. Joan Mir – Honda HRC Castrol
13. Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP
14. Diogo Moreira – Pro Honda LCR
15. Luca Marini – Honda HRC Castrol
16. Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team
17. Alex Rins – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP
18. Brad Binder – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
19. Enea Bastianini – Red Bull KTM Tech3
20. Cal Crutchlow – Castrol Honda LCR
21. Pol Espargaro – Red Bull KTM Tech3
22. Toprak Razgatlioglu – Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
23. Augusto Fernandez – Yamaha Factory Racing