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Quartararo Ends Ducati’s Pole Dominance at Spanish GP

In a thrilling qualifying session for the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo managed to break Ducati’s extended run of pole positions, showcasing impressive speed and skill.

Quartararo, the 2021 world champion, capitalized on his promising performance from Friday’s practice, where he expressed surprise at his own pace on the M1 motorcycle.

This pole position marks a significant milestone, being the first for a non-Ducati rider since Pedro Acosta’s pole at the Japanese Grand Prix last October. It also suggests a potential shift in momentum for competitors as Ducati has dominated recent races, a trend only interrupted by Aleix Espargaro’s victory at the Catalan Grand Prix in May.

Championship front-runner Marc Marquez will join Quartararo on the front row, followed closely by Francesco Bagnaia, who secured the third spot on the grid with his factory Ducati.

The second qualifying session was conducted under dry conditions, allowing for a straightforward battle among the top riders without interruptions from yellow flags or other incidents.

Marquez set an impressive lap record of 1m35.643 during his opening lap, placing pressure on his competitors. However, Quartararo responded strongly in his final runs, ultimately surpassing Marquez’s time. This marks the first pole position loss for Marquez in the current season.

Marc’s brother, Alex Marquez, will start from the fourth position, narrowly missing out on the front row by a mere three thousandths of a second. After a standout performance on Friday, he will undoubtedly be disappointed with this outcome.

Franco Morbidelli of VR46 Ducati made an impressive comeback from a recent high-speed crash, earning the fifth position on the grid. He’s joined by Maverick Vinales, who advanced from Q1 and secured sixth place aboard his Tech3 KTM.

The third row will feature rookie sensation Fermin Aldegeuer (Gresini Ducati), Fabio di Giannantonio (VR46), and Joan Mir, who will lead the Honda challenge with his factory machine.

Starting from 10th place will be LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco, accompanied by Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) and Pedro Acosta (KTM).

Earlier, the Q1 session unfolded after a dramatic Free Practice 2, which saw several riders, including Bagnaia, Morbidelli, Acosta, and Alex Rins, face crashes. Rins, whose main bike was severely damaged, required a quick medical assessment but managed to return to set a lap time in Q1 before ultimately taking the last position on the grid.

In contrast, Vinales showcased his true potential during Q1, easily advancing to Q2. Bezzecchi posed a minimal threat but could not surpass Vinales’ second-fastest lap time of the session.

MotoGP Spanish GP – Qualifying Results

Q2

Q1

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