Marco Bezzecchi Takes Record-Breaking Pole in Valencia as Top Five Split by Less Than a Tenth

The final qualifying session of the 2025 MotoGP™ season delivered a nail-biting showdown at the Valencia Grand Prix, with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) claiming pole position in spectacular fashion. In one of the closest Q2 sessions in recent memory, less than a tenth of a second covered the top five riders — all of whom dipped under the previous all-time lap record.

Bezzecchi’s blistering 1:28.809 secured the final pole of the year by just 0.026s ahead of Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) only 0.044s further back. With such microscopic margins at the sharp end, the stage is set for an explosive Tissot Sprint later today.

Q1 Drama: Raul Fernandez and Zarco Advance as Bagnaia Hit by Bike Trouble

Q1 opened with early drama as Augusto Fernandez (Yamaha Factory Racing Team) crashed at Turn 8 on Yamaha’s V4 prototype. The spotlight then shifted to Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Aprilia), who topped the Q1 charts by 0.032s, followed closely by Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR).

A fiercely tight session saw Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) briefly climb into the top two before Raul Fernandez extended his advantage with a superb 1:29.036 lap. Moments later, Bagnaia’s hopes were shattered when he suffered a mechanical problem and coasted to a halt trackside.

Late improvements from Brad Binder, Aleix Espargaro, Zarco, and Luca Marini reshuffled the order, pushing Bagnaia down to P5 and out of Q2.
Q1 Advancers: Raul Fernandez, Johann Zarco
Bagnaia’s Grid Start: P16, one spot ahead of returning Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing).

Q2: Bezzecchi Shatters the Record in Jaw-Droppingly Close Finale

Q2 fired into action with Pedro Acosta lighting up the timesheets with a 1:29.298, before Alex Marquez delivered the day’s first 1:28 lap — a 1:28.967. Meanwhile, Bezzecchi survived a wild moment at Turn 2, briefly skating through gravel before regrouping.

The Italian returned with a vengeance on fresh Michelin rubber, unleashing a masterful 1:28.809 to establish a new all-time lap record. As the clock ticked down, improvements came from Quartararo, Di Giannantonio, and Raul Fernandez, but none could surpass Bezzecchi’s benchmark.

In the end, the top five riders were separated by just 0.096s, underlining the intensity of the final qualifying session of the year.

Top 3 – Q2:

1. Marco Bezzecchi – 1:28.809
2. Alex Marquez – +0.026s
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio – +0.044s

Valencia MotoGP™: Top 12 Grid for the 2025 Tissot Sprint & Grand Prix

1. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing)
2. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP)
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)
4. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Aprilia)
5. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
6. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP)
7. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)
8. Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP)
9. Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP)
10. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol)
11. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR)
12. Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team)