Motorcycling - MotoGP - Valencia Grand Prix - Circuit Recardo Tormo, Valencia, Spain - November 26, 2023 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP's Fabio Quartararo before the race REUTERS/Pablo Morano
JEREZ, Spain (Reuters) -Frenchman Fabio Quartararo beat crowd favourite and six-times MotoGP champion Marc Marquez to take pole position at the Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix at the Circuito de Jerez on Saturday, where the lap record was broken twice.
Championship leader Marquez looked on course for a fifth successive pole after he sped to a time of one minute and 35.643 seconds early in the second qualifying, but Quartararo put on a blistering lap in the final moments to stun the Ducati rider.
The 26-year-old Yamaha rider clocked a time of one minute and 35.610 seconds to take his first pole since 2022.
Twice MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia came third to complete the front row.
"It's a really special feeling, a special emotion for everybody," Quartararo said.
"We know that the points are on the sprint and the race, but already to feel the atmosphere close to all these guys is something.
"Hopefully, we can make a great fight on the sprint, on the race we know it's a little more difficult. But super happy to be here. We are working hard and the work will pay off."
Gresini's Alex Marquez was the fourth fastest, ahead of Franco Morbidelli of VR46 Racing in fifth.
Marquez leads his younger brother Alex by 17 points in the championship and Italian Bagnaia in third by 26. He has the opportunity to stretch it further in the sprint, which will be held later on Saturday.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
