Marc Marquez was the best of the rest with a 1:27.890 on his Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici, and Maverick Vinales claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:27.991 on his Aprilia RS-GP.
Row-two qualifiers included Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi (1:28.375), the two-time and defending Champion Francesco Bagnaia on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP24 (1:28.478) and Raul Fernandez on his Trackhouse Racing Aprilia RS-GP (1:28.498).
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Martin produces late magic to clinch pole from Marc Marquez. The Spaniard has stormed to pole position at Phillip Island and will start alongside Marc Marquez and Maverick Viñales.
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) has charged to pole position at the Qatar Airways Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, delivering another magical lap – clocking a 1:27.296. Martin ends Q2 with a magnificent 0.594s advantage from the late-charging Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who improved on his final flying lap of the session, bagging a front-row start on his GP23. The eight-time World Champion has claimed a prime spot on the grid, starting alongside Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) after the #12 set a relentless pace at the start of Q2, which gifted Viñales a strong front row start.
Martin leaves it late
Saturday’s action began in tricky conditions, with Marc Marquez grabbing P1 after an extended 40 minute FP2 session, which saw the track continue to dry after a wet morning – setting the stage for an intense qualifying. Once Q1 got underway, there was drama from the onset, with a mix of wet and slick Michelin tyres fitted at the start of the session. Lap times tumbled as conditions improved, with Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) timing his time attack to perfect and earning a Q2 spot alongside Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team).
As Q2 clicked into gear, all 12 riders opted for slick tyres, with Martin leading the pack on the track and at the timesheets as Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Fabio Di Giannantoniosuffered an early fall at Turn 1. Viñales soon became the rider to beat at the end of the first run, with pole position – as usual – being decided in the final five minutes. Martin soon laid a new benchmark, smashing into the low 1:27 bracket to snatch pole position at Phillip Island.
Bagnaia back in P5
Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) will spearhead the second row of the grid, with the Italian unable to dip inside the 1:27 bracket. Bezzecchi continues a strong weekend and will start ahead of reigning World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). The #1 grabbed a late fifth, holding onto a second row start after Bagnaia was one of the final riders to start their second run. Rounding out the second row is Fernandez, who remarkably battled from Q1 to sixth.
Further back, Franco Morbidelli heads the third row of the grid, ending a strong session for the Prima Pramac Racing squad after finding time on his ninth lap. The #21 was comfortably ahead of Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who begins to set sights on a strong result in Australia from eighth on the grid. Alex Marquez starts alongside compatriot Alex Rins, who was the sole Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ rider in Q2, landing ninth on the rider.
There is work to do for the key names once the lights go out, with Bastianini unable to place higher than 10th on the grid. It would also be a tough session for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, with Brad Binder heading from P11 and Jack Miller starting from 16th after the Aussie was unable to find a way into Q2 at home. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) also has a challenge ahead, starting from P15 after a tough end to Q1.
Saturday’s action does not stop here! Join us for an unmissable Tissot Sprint as the world’s most exciting sport returns for what could prove to be a pivotal battle at 15:00 local time (UTC +11)!