MotoGP - Grand Prix of Qatar - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - March 9, 2024 Prima Pramac Racing's Jorge Martin poses for a picture with a watch after qualifying in pole position REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari
(Reuters) - Pramac Racing's Jorge Martin took pole position for the MotoGP season-opening Qatar Grand Prix after he smashed the lap record at the Lusail International Circuit on Saturday.
The Spaniard took pole with a time of 1:50.789, beating Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro by a whisker, while Enea Bastianini from Ducati's factory team completed the front row, 0.086 seconds behind Martin -- last year's championship runner-up.
"I'm the fastest in one lap, another pole is super nice," a smiling Martin said. "I'm happy, but the important job is later (in the sprint) and tomorrow."
Red Bull KTM's Brad Binder was fourth-fastest, ahead of Ducati's defending champion Francesco Bagnaia and six-times MotoGP champion Marc Marquez, who made the switch from Honda to Gresini Racing for the 2024 season.
Last year's Qatar Grand Prix winner Fabio Di Giannantonio was seventh-fastest with his new team VR46 Racing, while 19-year-old rookie Pedro Acosta was ecstatic to finish inside the top 10, going eighth-fastest in his first MotoGP qualifying session.
The first sprint of the season will be held later on Saturday.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
