Marc Marquez secured his first pole position as a Ducati MotoGP rider in a rainy qualifying session for the Spanish Grand Prix. The six-time MotoGP champion dominated the pre-qualifying practice session in wet conditions and was expected to clinch pole position. However, Marquez had a scary moment at Turn 1 that seemed to ruin his chances. Despite this setback, he was still out of reach for his competitors. Marco Bezzecchi was the closest rival, but his last-minute attempt to beat Marquez ended in the gravel. Championship leader Jorge Martin completed the first row entirely composed of Ducatis.
Brad Binder salvaged fourth place on the grid after a tough Q1 session, followed by Bezzecchi’s teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio, and Marquez’s brother Alex Marquez. The next row consisted of the other three Ducatis, with Pecco Bagnaia leading Franco Morbidelli and Enea Bastianini. Pedro Acosta finished in tenth place after a crash disrupted his progress in Q2. The Aprilias of Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro struggled for pace in the conditions.
Johann Zarco’s last-minute effort to secure a spot in Q2 for Honda didn’t pay off, but he matched the best qualifying result of the RC213V in the session in 13th. Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez showed promise in the wet practice session but failed to make an impact in Q1, finishing 14th and 17th, respectively. Jack Miller and Dani Pedrosa will start between them on the grid, with Miller facing difficulties due to a bike issue early on.
Yamaha had a disappointing session, with Fabio Quartararo as their highest-placed rider in 23rd position. They were the slowest among manufacturers in Q1, nearly two seconds behind.
