Scintillating lap from Marquez bags record pole from Q1

MotoGP™ is back with a bang as the first qualifying session of the 2023 season sees an incredible performance from Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), who will start from pole position for both the Tissot Sprint and Sunday's race at the Grande Prémio TISSOT de Portugal. The Spaniard took his 2nd pole position since 2019, setting a new all-time lap record followed closely by the reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), with Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) snatching the final spot on the front row.

Marc moves the goalposts in Q1

Conditions were perfect as the riders headed out on track for Q1. The bar was set high early on as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) went top with a scintillating 1:37.675, setting the benchmark with a new all-time lap record, and taking his Honda to the absolute limit. Tensions were high as riders such as Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team), Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team), Alex Rins (LCR Honda CASTROL), and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) chased down the eight-time World Champion.

Red sectors were lighting up the timing screens but no one quite had enough in the tank to match the stunning lap set by the Repsol Honda man. Oliveira and Alex Marquez made late charges threatening Marc's lap time, but the time stood and it was Oliveira who took his CryptoDATA RNF Aprilia into the 2nd Q2 spot. Despite a strong final attempt from Alex Marquez, he caught Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) in the wrong place at the wrong time, and will start his first weekend as a Ducati rider from the 13th spot on the grid for the first-ever Tissot Sprint as well as Sunday's race.

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Marquez silences the paddock in Q2

Fresh from topping the timesheets on Friday, it was the Aussie Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Team) who proved his pace was no fluke, setting the early benchmark, and breaking the all-time lap record once again. Shortly after there was an early mistake from Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) who went down at Turn 13, quickly remounting and getting his RS-GP back to the Aprilia garage.

The 1st run was done and Miller stood firm at the top of the standings with the Ducati's of Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia closely following. The tensions were high as the riders returned to the circuit knowing they'd need an incredible lap to topple the Aussie.

Red sectors came flooding in once again and it was a disaster for the current pole-sitter as he crashed out at Turn 3. Whilst watching from the gravel trap, the reigning Champion proved his worth and smashed it out the ballpark beating Miller's time by 0.259s and throwing the lap record out the window once again.

Martin threatened the Italian's lap time shortly after but fell just short slotting behind "Pecco" by 0.164s. Miguel Oliveira made a late charge as well but it wasn't enough and he finished the session in P4. In the closing stages of the session, it was eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez who silenced the paddock with an incredible unexpected lap time, snatching pole from Bagnaia by 0.064s, and sending a message to the paddock that he means business.

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The midfield battle

With the grid decided for the Tissot Sprint and Sunday's race, everything is in place for exciting battles all the way through the field. Despite his crash during his 2nd Q2 run, Jack Miller will start the races from the middle of the 2nd row in 5th spot and will have to defend against attacks from Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) who will start from 6th and 7th respectively.

The stage is well and truly set for an epic battle with three World Champions lining up on the front row, and many questions yet to be answered. Make sure not to miss any of the action from the Tissot Sprint at 15:00 local time (GMT).