Martin Takes Silverstone MotoGP Pole with New Lap Record

Championship leader Jorge Martin delivered a statement performance at Silverstone, snatching pole position for the 2026 MotoGP British Grand Prix with a stunning new lap record of 1m56.160s.

The lap record had already been broken on Friday by factory Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi, signaling the Noale brand's strength. But Martin, who has struggled in recent rounds, found a new lease of life by reverting to an earlier season set-up, feeling much more confident on the RS-GP.

His final flying lap edged out Trackhouse's Raul Fernandez by just 0.021s, denying the Spaniard a maiden pole. Ai Ogura completed an all-Aprilia top three, a remarkable 1-2-3 for the manufacturer at the British circuit.

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Fabio Di Giannantonio was the leading Ducati in fourth, while Marc Marquez could only manage sixth on the factory bike. His teammate Pecco Bagnaia endured a disastrous session, failing to progress from Q1 and qualifying 16th, his worst result of the season.

The Q2 shootout was a thriller, with multiple lead changes. Alex Marquez initially set the pace, but Fernandez, Marc Marquez, and Bezzecchi all took turns at the top. Fernandez then smashed the lap record with a 1m56.181s, only for Martin to respond with a 1m56.160s on his final lap to secure his second pole of 2026.

Alex Marquez, tipped as pre-race favorite, ended up seventh. Franco Morbidelli (VR46) progressed from Q1 to qualify eighth, ahead of Pedro Acosta (KTM) and impressive stand-in Iker Lecuona (Gresini) in tenth. Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) missed Q2 by just 0.050s and will start 13th.