ROME, June 21 — Marc Marquez took the 100th pole of his career on his Ducati debut at the Mugello Circuit at their home Italian Grand Prix today in a qualifying session where the lap record was broken several times.
It was Marquez’s sixth pole of the season and the 72nd MotoGP pole of his career to go with his 14 poles in Moto2 and 14 more in the 125cc World Championship.
“I’m super happy because it was a real pole position, it was without (using) the slipstreams, alone and just trying to find my limits,” Marquez said.
“The pace was not bad but (I have to) be patient because in the afternoon with a warm temperature, it can change everything. But at the moment we are there and ready to fight for the sprint and main race.”
Marquez initially took provisional pole when he slotted in behind his brother Alex and used the Gresini bike’s slipstream to his advantage.
As Alex crossed the line with the fastest time, Marc snatched top spot from him less than a second later with a lap record.
Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo then broke the record but before he could celebrate, Marc’s Italian team mate Francesco Bagnaia went even faster on his home track where he has won the last three Grands Prix.
However, Marc had one more flying lap left in him and when the Spaniard crossed the line, he set a time of one minute and 44.169 seconds to pip Bagnaia to pole by 0.059 seconds. Alex will join them on the front row.
“I tried everything in qualifying, Marc was in super shape and it’s tough to beat him. I wanted to start on the front row and this was the best result in qualifying (for me) this season,” Bagnaia said.
Quartararo was only fourth fastest despite breaking the lap record and he will be joined on the second row by KTM’s Maverick Vinales and VR46 Racing’s Franco Morbidelli. — Reuters
