Marco Bezzecchi delivered a masterclass in qualifying at the San Marino Grand Prix, shattering the Misano circuit record to secure his second consecutive pole position of the 2026 MotoGP season. In a breathtaking display of speed, the factory Aprilia rider cemented his status as the man to beat this weekend, claiming his fourth pole of the year.
The tone was set early in the 15-minute Q2 session. While Gresini’s Alex Marquez initially laid down a marker, he was soon forced to the sidelines after a crash at Turn 8. Shortly after, Fabio di Giannantonio surged to the top of the standings for VR46, but his reign was brief. Bezzecchi responded in spectacular fashion, storming to an incredible 1m29.982s lap—the first time in the track’s history that a motorcycle has broken the 90-second barrier at Misano.
Despite a late-session flurry of improvements from his rivals, Bezzecchi’s opening run proved insurmountable. By the time the chequered flag fell, he held a 0.198s cushion over reigning world champion Marc Marquez, who salvaged a front-row start for Ducati with a final-gasp 1m30.180s. Fermin Aldeguer, who navigated his way through the Q1 session earlier in the day, completed the front row, narrowly edging out di Giannantonio, who ultimately settled for fourth.
Championship leader Jorge Martin kept his title aspirations firmly on track with a solid fifth-place qualification, an impressive result for the Aprilia rider after struggling throughout the practice sessions. Behind him, factory Honda’s Luca Marini outperformed expectations to secure sixth, narrowly ahead of Pedro Acosta.
The session was marked by high drama and frustration for some of the championship’s biggest names. Alex Marquez, who suffered a second fall at Turn 4, ended up ninth, while Francesco Bagnaia endured a dismal home qualifying session. The two-time MotoGP champion could only manage 14th, venting his frustration by striking his factory Ducati after a costly error on his final flying lap prevented him from progressing out of Q1.
Elsewhere, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo saw his hopes of a Q2 start evaporate in the closing moments, relegated to 13th by the late-charging Aldeguer. The back of the 21-bike grid was rounded out by Alex Rins and Toprak Razgatlioglu, while the stewards have confirmed an investigation into an incident involving LCR’s Johann Zarco, who is alleged to have impeded Bezzecchi during the session.
With Bezzecchi starting from the premier spot and Marc Marquez poised to challenge, tomorrow’s San Marino Grand Prix promises to be a high-stakes tactical battle at the front of the field.
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