Honda star Marc Márquez secured pole position in the rainy MotoGP qualifying session at the Mobility Resort Motegi. The Spaniard finished ahead of Johann Zarco (Ducati) and Red Bull KTM rider Brad Binder.
Saturday in Motegi was a very special day for Marc Márquez. First leading in FP2, the Spanish Repsol Team Honda rider then clinched a career pole position of 91. The last time the eight-time world champion was on pole position at the 2019 Japanese GP – exactly 1071 days ago.
Behind the Honda works driver, Pramac driver Johann Zarco took second place on the grid. The Frenchman lost 0.2 seconds to Marquez in front. Third was Brad Binder from the Red Bull KTM factory team. The South African will start from the front row of the grid for the first time in the MotoGP class.
Things didn’t go according to plan for world championship leader Fabio Quartararo. With two major mistakes in the last two laps, the Yamaha rider couldn’t improve anymore, which ultimately meant 9th place. Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati) will not have an easy race in Motegi on Sunday either, as he has to start from 12th place.
The entire qualifying can be read here in our live ticker.
1. Marc Marquez (Honda): “I am very happy to be on pole. Already in the morning I felt very strong in the wet. I knew that if it was going to be wet in the afternoon, I had to try. It’s just one pole position and then in the wet too, but in this situation with Honda and where we’re coming from, it’s very important for the Japanese players. It is also very important for me, also for the future. These are small goals that we strive for. It will be a different story in the dry on Sunday, but we’re enjoying it now.”
2. Johann Zarco (Ducati): “Q1 wasn’t easy, there was really a lot of water on the track. It was good that we chose a new tire in Q2 because the rear tire degraded very quickly in these conditions. I’m quite happy, the second best lap time is good. If qualifying had been canceled I would have had to start from 11th place. The front row for tomorrow is a big help.”
3. Brad Binder (KTM): “I’m super happy that I can start the race from the front row on Sunday. It’s the first time for me, then also in the wet. I was last in the morning, we improved a lot in qualifying.”
MotoGP result Q2, Motegi (24 September):
1. Marc Marquez, Honda, 1:55.214
2. Zarco, Ducati, 1: 55.422 min, + 0.208 sec
3. Brad Binder, KTM, 1:55,537, + 0,323
4. Viñales, Aprilia, 1: 55.620, + 0.406
5. Martin, Ducati, 1:55.686, +0.472
6. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, 1:55.771, + 0.557
7. Miller, Ducati, 1:55.784, +0.570
8. Oliveira, KTM, 1:55.895, + 0.681
9. Quartararo, Yamaha, 1:56,326, +1,112
10. Marini, Ducati, 1:56.354, + 1.140
11. Pol Espargaro, Honda, 1:57.354, +2.140
12. Bagnaia, Ducati, 1: 57.373, + 2.159
The rest of the starting lineup:
13. Bezzecchi, Ducati, 1:55.934 min
14. Morbidelli, Yamaha, 1:56,006
15. Bastianini, Ducati, 1: 56.130
16. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, 1: 56.432
17. Alex Marquez, Honda, 1:56.578
18. Rins, Suzuki, 1:56,656
19. Nagashima, Honda, 1:57,229
20. Gardner, KTM, 1:57,288
21. Tsuda, Suzuki, 1:57,787
22. Fernández, KTM, 1:57.827
23. Crutchlow, Yamaha, 1:58,115
24. Darryn Binder, Yamaha, 1:58,292
25. Nakagami, Honda, 1:58,717