Martin soars to Australian MotoGP pole with record lap

Jorge Martin has secured pole position at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix with a record lap time.

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The Prima Pramac Racing rider was able to pull together a 1.27.767s lap, beating Jorge Lorenzo’s outright Phillip Island record which dates back to 2013.

Joining the Ducati rider on the front row will be Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez, who keenly used Francesco Bagnaia for a tow during his second run to come across the line with a 1.27.780s.

Marquez will be sandwiched on the grid by Ducatis, with factory rider Bagnaia finishing Qualifying 2 in third without the advantage of the tow.

Ducati Lenovo team-mate Jack Miller meanwhile will start on the third row, having qualified eighth.

Martin’s first time attack lap in the second runs was enough for pole for the Spaniard though his first run was also within touching distance of the record, the Pramac rider coming out firing with a 1.28.112s.

It wasn’t smooth sailing for the #93, Marquez having a spectacular had a front-end snap at MG. The six-time premier class champion pulled it up, riding on the grass briefly before immediately pulling into the lane and ending his first run early.

Bagnaia had meanwhile jumped to provisional pole with a 1.28.054s, ultimately setting a 1.27.953s in his run to third.

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha), due to start from grid slots four and five respectively, both dipped into the ‘27s’ also, meaning the top three in the championship occupy three consecutive positions.

Frenchman Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Ducati), who made his way through from Qualifying 1, rounds out the second row with a 1.28.007s, which was just over a tenth better than his Q1 topper.

Qualifying 1 saw an intense back and forth on the timesheets between Repsol Honda rider Pol Espargaro and Suzuki’s Joan Mir.

However, on his second flyer in his second run, Mir rode through the grass and gravel at Siberia before peeling off into the pits behind Pol Espargaro.

They were both helpless in the garage as, in rapid succession, Zarco fired in a 1.28.132s for first position and Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) jumped to second with a 1.28.347s.

Remy Gardner (Tech3 KTM) wasn’t able to make it out of Q1 in his first home round in the premier class, earning 19th on the grid.

Enea Bastianini (Gresini Ducati) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) were placed under investigation after an incident at Lukey Heights, where Oliveira was seen riding slower on the race line with the Italian on a fast run behind him.

UPDATE: Oliveira penalised for multiple offences

Bastianini, who is fourth in the championship, was fifth in Q1 and therefore 15th on the grid.

Lights out for the Australian Grand Prix is at 14:00 local time/AEDT, with riders on track from Warm Up at 09:40.

Qualifying: Australian MotoGP