The six-time world champion in the queen class, who will also start at the head of the sprint – a new race format inaugurated this season – was ahead of the outgoing world champion, the Italian Francesco Bagnaia and his compatriot Spaniard Jorge Martin (Ducati -Pramac).
“Frankly, I don’t understand what happened,” the Honda driver was surprised at the finish. “Yesterday (during practice, editor’s note), we suffered a lot,” he continued.
On Friday, the Spaniard had only signed the 14th time in qualifying and therefore had to go through the repechages on Saturday morning to clinch this pole.
Marquez, 30, even offered himself the circuit lap record and won the 64th pole of his career in Portiamo, marked in recent years by health problems which have prevented him from competing for the title.
“Today is better (than Friday, editor’s note), we will start from pole position this afternoon (during the sprint) and tomorrow (during the Grand Prix), it is very important (…), the race will be very difficult against the Ducati who have a very high pace, but we are starting in front, so it is already a big advantage”.
Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) will only start 11th, behind his compatriot Johann Zarco (Ducati-Pramac), 10th.
The start of the sprint will be given at 3:00 p.m. this afternoon (4:00 p.m. Paris time), that of the GP on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
Held every day before the Grand Prix, the sprints represent the equivalent, in distance, of half the main race on Sunday and also offer up to 12 additional championship points, in addition to the 25 points awarded the next day to the winner of the GP. .