Marc Marquez has once again proven his dominance on the track, securing his 99th career pole position at the Aragon Grand Prix. The Ducati rider shattered the lap record on Saturday, clocking an impressive time of 1 minute and 45.704 seconds at the MotorLand circuit.
Marquez Brothers Battle for Top Spot
The qualifying session was a thrilling affair, with Marc initially setting the pace before being briefly overtaken by his brother, Alex Marquez of Gresini Racing. However, Marc responded with an aggressive lap, showcasing his skill and control as his Ducati slid around the curves.
"The first lap with the first tyre was clean," Marc commented. "I just did one lap and then I stopped because I was already (one minute and) 45.9 without exaggerating, but then I exaggerated too much (on my next attempt)."
Strong Showing from Other Riders
While Marc Marquez stole the show, other riders also put in strong performances. Francesco Bagnaia, Marc's teammate, managed to qualify fourth despite struggling with stability. Red Bull KTM's Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder will join him on the second row for Sunday's race.
The warm-up session further solidified Marquez's dominance, with him finishing just 0.019 seconds ahead of his brother Alex. Pedro Acosta and Marco Bezzecchi were also within 0.1 seconds of the leader.
Injuries and Substitutions
The Aragon MotoGP is marked by the absence of several riders due to injuries. Luca Marini is out after suffering injuries during a Superbike test, while Ai Ogura is still recovering from injuries sustained at Silverstone. Yamaha and Aprilia are using test riders Augusto Fernandez and Lorenzo Savadori respectively as wild-card entries and injury replacements.
Looking Ahead to the Race
With his pole position, Marc Marquez is in a prime position to claim a record-extending seventh MotoGP victory at Aragon. However, with a competitive field and unpredictable conditions, the race promises to be an exciting spectacle for South African motorsport fans. Keep an eye on young guns like Acosta and Binder to give the front runners a run for their money.
- Marc Marquez secures pole position.
- Alex Marquez close behind.
- Several riders out due to injury.