VR46’s Bezzecchi claims maiden MotoGP pole in Thailand

Rookie Marco Bezzecchi has qualified on pole position for the first time in his career, at the Thailand Grand Prix.

Riding for Valentino Rossi’s Mooney VR46 Racing Team, the Italian edged fellow Ducati rider Jorge Martin by just 0.021s while the Bologna marque’s big hope for the championship, Francesco Bagnaia, also made the front row at Buriram.

Championship leader Fabio Quartararo took fourth on his Monster Energy Yamaha while Jack Miller ended up seventh after an apparent technical problem midway through Qualifying 2 for his Desmosedici.

Prima Pramac Racing’s Martin had been fastest after the first runs on a 1:29.963s before Bagnaia went early for his second run, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider taking over top spot on a 1:29.775s.

Martin hit back with a lap-record 1:29.692s in the final minute before the chequers were unfurled, after which Bezzecchi pulled off something of a shock when he blazed to a 1:29.671s.

There was still time for the #89 Pramac pilot to reclaim first position yet again and while he went fastest to the third sector on his final lap, he was unable to make it a quicker time when he reached the stripe.

Quartararo’s 1:29.909s means he is the only non-Ducati rider in the top seven, with Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac) fifth on a 1:29.963s and Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing) jumping to sixth on a late 1:29.988s.

Miller had been fourth at the end of the first runs on a 1:30.106s but there would be no improvement for the last-start winner due to an apparent issue with the rear of his bike and he fell to seventh.

Marc Marquez came from Qualifying 1 to take eighth all-told, although his fastest lap of 1:30.133s could well have been a front row effort if not for a moment at the final corner, just before he took the chequered flag.

Rounding out the Q2 classification were Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Ducati), Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar), Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM), and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM).

Alex Espargaro’s title hopes took another blow, six days after the eco mode blunder, when he failed to advance from Q1.

Aprilia Racing has struggled for grip all weekend but the Catalan ragged his RS-GP to a 1:30.202s which saw him take over top spot during the opening qualifying stanza, only to be bettered by Marquez and Oliveira, meaning he is set to start 13th.

Raul Fernandez skipped Free Practice 3 due to a bad stomach ache but qualified 16th, two positions ahead of Tech3 KTM team-mate Remy Gardner.

Race start at Buriram is scheduled for Sunday at 19:00 AEDT.

Qualifying: Thailand MotoGP