Pedro Acosta Takes Catalunya Pole as Bezzecchi and Martin Crash

Pedro Acosta delivered a dominant performance to secure pole position for the 2026 Catalunya MotoGP at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya after setting the fastest lap for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. The Spanish rider finished 0.233 seconds clear of surprise front-row challenger Franco Morbidelli.

Acosta had already shown strong pace throughout Friday and successfully carried that momentum into Q2. KTM looked particularly competitive around Barcelona thanks to its powerful acceleration and strong braking stability through Catalunya’s stop-and-go sectors.

Morbidelli produced one of the biggest surprises of qualifying by placing the VR46 Racing Team machine second on the grid in front of team owner Valentino Rossi, who was present in the Barcelona paddock. Defending Catalunya Grand Prix winner Alex Marquez completed the front row after another competitive Ducati performance.

Baca JugaPedro Acosta Rebut Pole Catalunya, Bezzecchi dan Martin Crash

The second row will feature Raul Fernandez on the Trackhouse Aprilia, Johann Zarco for LCR Honda, and Fabio Di Giannantonio. Fabio Quartararo emerged as Yamaha’s leading rider in seventh position.

Qualifying also produced major drama in the championship battle as both Aprilia Racing title contenders, Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, crashed during crucial sessions.

Martin crashed in Q1 in what marked his third fall of the weekend but still managed to progress into Q2. Bezzecchi, meanwhile, crashed at the beginning of the decisive final Q2 run, immediately ending his chances of improving his lap time. Valentino Rossi’s frustration was clearly visible on the pit wall following the incident.

As a result, championship leader Bezzecchi will start only 12th and last among the Q2 runners despite arriving in Catalunya leading the standings. Martin managed to salvage ninth place despite not being in full physical condition following multiple crashes throughout the weekend.

From a technical perspective, Barcelona’s low-grip conditions once again became one of the decisive factors during qualifying. Several riders struggled to properly activate the Michelin front tyre over a single flying lap, particularly as track temperatures increased late in Q2.

Pecco Bagnaia was among the biggest names eliminated in Q1 after narrowly missing the final transfer positions. The Ducati Lenovo rider will start 13th after continuing to struggle with front-end stability and grip issues on the GP26.

Meanwhile, Le Mans podium finisher Ai Ogura will line up only 18th on the grid. Fermin Aldeguer and Toprak Razgatlioglu also crashed in Q1, with Razgatlioglu set to start from the back of the grid.

The qualifying result creates a major opportunity for Acosta to challenge for victory in the sprint race and strengthen his position in the 2026 MotoGP title fight. However, with tyre degradation and low grip conditions expected to remain critical factors, the Catalunya weekend still appears wide open heading into the races.