MotoGP: Alex Marquez Claims Pole with Stunning Lap Record at Catalan Grand Prix

Barcelona- Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) lit up qualifying at the Catalan Grand Prix with a record-breaking lap of 1:37.536, securing pole position in front of his home crowd.

The Spaniard delivered a blistering final sector to edge out Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and his elder brother Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) in a thrilling Q2 showdown.

Quartararo was one of the day’s biggest stories, fighting his way through a dramatic Q1. The Frenchman set a 1:37.906—breaking the lap record at the time—to advance into Q2, where he briefly held provisional pole before Alex’s late heroics.

Marc Marquez also looked threatening in the final minutes but suffered a front-end scare at Turn 5 while pushing for top spot. He held on for third, setting up a mouthwatering front row with his younger brother and Quartararo.

Q1 had already seen major upsets, with Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin failing to progress. Quartararo and Fabio Di Giannantonio emerged from a stacked field that included four former World Champions. Bagnaia could only qualify 11th while Martin settled for 8th.

Q2 brought more drama when rookie Pedro Acosta briefly set what looked like a new lap record, only for it to be deleted due to track limits. He eventually qualified fifth, just behind Franco Morbidelli, who produced one of his best performances of the season.

With both Marquez brothers and a rejuvenated Quartararo sharing the front row, the Catalan crowd can expect fireworks when the lights go out for the Sprint and the main Grand Prix.

With inputs from IANS