Marc Marquez Ends 245-Day Pole Drought at Jerez 2026

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Marc Marquez of Ducati Lenovo Team ended a 245-day pole drought by securing pole position for the 2026 Spanish MotoGP at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto in a damp and incident-filled qualifying session.

The result marks Marquez’s first pole of the 2026 season and the 75th of his MotoGP career, achieved under changing track conditions that reshaped the competitive order compared to Friday’s dry running.

After a cautious start to the weekend, where he admitted he lacked podium-contending pace, the wet conditions on Saturday created an opportunity for Marquez to maximise performance. He delivered a decisive lap of 1m48.087s to take pole position.

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Johann Zarco of LCR Honda emerged as Marquez’s closest challenger, finishing just 0.140s behind, while Fabio Di Giannantonio of VR46 Racing Team completed the front row.

The 15-minute Q2 session featured multiple lead changes, with Zarco briefly holding provisional pole before Marquez reclaimed the top spot on his final attempt. Zarco’s last lap showed potential to improve further but was compromised by a mistake at the final corner.

Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia Racing narrowly missed out on the front row in fourth, while Alex Marquez recovered to fifth despite crashing during the session.

The qualifying session was briefly delayed following a technical issue involving Franco Morbidelli at the end of Q1, prompting checks on track conditions before Q2 commenced.

Several riders struggled with grip in the damp conditions, leading to multiple incidents. Jorge Martin crashed at Turn 1 late in Q2, while Fermin Aldeguer also fell during the session.

Pedro Acosta initially set the pace early in Q2 but eventually dropped to sixth, with Enea Bastianini and Raul Fernandez completing the top ten.

Meanwhile, Francesco Bagnaia endured a difficult session, finishing significantly behind his team-mate, while Yamaha’s leading rider Augusto Fernandez remained outside the top positions.

With overtaking traditionally difficult at Jerez, pole position provides Marquez with a strategic advantage heading into both the Sprint and Sunday’s grand prix.

As weather conditions remain uncertain, the race is expected to present further variability, placing increased emphasis on tyre strategy, race management, and consistency in the early phase of the 2026 MotoGP season.