Alex took his last pole in April 2023; now starts with Fabio and leader Marc, 175 ahead
Barcelona
Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez delivered a stunning performance on Saturday to secure pole position at the Catalan Grand Prix, his first in almost 900 days. The Spaniard set a new lap record of 1 minute 37.536 seconds in front of home fans, sparking celebrations in his team’s garage.
Alex’s last pole came at the Argentine Grand Prix in April 2023. He will start Sunday’s race alongside Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and older brother Marc Marquez, who leads him by a massive 175 points in the championship standings. “This was really special. We had good pace all weekend, but now comes the most important part — the races where points matter,” Alex said.
Quartararo had earlier set the lap record in Q1 to reach Q2, before KTM’s Pedro Acosta briefly broke it with a fast lap that was later cancelled for exceeding track limits. Alex then went even quicker, sealing pole with his record-breaking run. Marc tried a final push to beat his brother but nearly lost control and had to abandon the attempt. “Front row was the main target. Alex was faster in some corners, but starting up front helps a lot,” Marc admitted.
Meanwhile, Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia endured a disastrous session, qualifying only 21st. It marked his worst grid position in three years, leaving the third-placed rider in the championship effectively out of contention.
With the sprint and main race ahead, all eyes will be on the Marquez brothers, as Alex seeks to convert his pole into a long-awaited podium finish.
