Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

Americas GP: Martin grabs last-gasp pole, Marquez ninth

The Spaniard comes from Q1 to claim a second pole position of 2022; Ducati lockout top five, Quartararo crashes, Marc Marquez struggles.

Jorge Martin

Bengaluru, April 10: Jorge Martin's (Pramac Racing) stunning Saturday afternoon form continued at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) as the Spaniard came from Q1 to claim a sensational second pole position of the 2022 FIM MotoGP World Championship season.

It is four front row starts in a row for Martin who beat Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) by just 0.003sec with a 2:02.039, as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) claimed P3 to make it a Ducati triple threat on the front row.

And just behind, two more Ducatis line up P4 and P5.

Behind the five Ducatis is defending world champion Fabio Quartararo lining up in P6, how much did that crash affect the Yamaha rider's pole position hunt?

Americas GP: Zarco sets early pace, Marquez sixth Americas GP: Zarco sets early pace, Marquez sixth

Alex Rins and Joan Mir head up the third row ahead of Marc Marquez, the six-time world champion, who had a quiet session in Austin, as fellow HRC rider Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) rounded out the top 10.

Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and an under the weather Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) will launch from P11 and P12 respectively.

Top 10:

1. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) - 2:02.039
2. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.003
3. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.128
4. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) + 0.531
5. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) + 0.539
6. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 0.595
7. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.655
8. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.908
9. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.999
10. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) + 1.015

Ducati domination

Ducati domination

In the end, Martin's 0.003sec advantage was enough to beat Miller as Bagnaia joined Ducatis GP22 duo on the front row.

Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) and Qatar GP winner Enea Bastianini, in P4 and P5, made it a Ducati demolition on Saturday in Texas.

Quiet session

Quiet session

Behind the five Ducatis is defending world champion Fabio Quartararo lining up in P6, how much did that crash affect the Yamaha rider's pole position hunt?

Alex Rins and Joan Mir head up the third row ahead of Marc Marquez, the six-time world champion, who had a quiet session in Austin.

Under the radar

Under the radar

Marquez has an impressive record in COTA, having won seven out of the eight races here, but it remains to be seen if he can rule the circuit again. Fellow Honda rider Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) rounded out the top 10 to equal his best of the season so far, with Argentina front row hero Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and an under the weather Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) just behind, set to launch from P11 and P12 respectively.

It was a frantic and ferocious pair of qualifying sessions in Austin, and we now turn our attention to race day. Can anyone stop Ducati from claiming victory in Texas? And what can the 2022 FIM MotoGP World Championship leader muster up from P13?

Historic race

Historic race

So, Spaniard Martin has claimed a second pole position of 2022; Ducati has locked out the top five, Quartararo crashed and Marquez struggled!

What's in store on Sunday? Tune in at 1pm local time (11.30pm IST). Indian audience can catch all the action live from the #AmericasGP -- the historic 500th Grand Prix of motorcycle racing on Eurosport channel.

(By a special arrangement with Dorna Sports)

Story first published: Sunday, April 10, 2022, 10:33 [IST]
Other articles published on Apr 10, 2022