Espargaro takes first MotoGP pole for Honda, first since Valencia

Pol Espargaro will start the British MotoGP on pole position - the Spaniard’s first pole since the EuropeanGP at Valencia in 2020. 

It’s not only Espargaro’s first pole for Repsol Honda, but also his first front row of the season. 

Fabio Quartararo immediately set the pace courtesy of a first sub 1m 59s lap of the weekend, while Ducati riders Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin rounded out the front row following the opening runs. 

Marc Marquez did set a time good enough for second, however, the Repsol Honda rider had his lap cancelled due to exceeding track limits. 

Like Marquez, Espargaro also had to recover from a first stint that saw him have a time deleted, however, the 30 year-old did just that with a 1:58.889s - the fastest lap of the weekend. 

Francesco Bagnaia kept his second place from the opening run, while Quartararo was unable to better his time and dropped to P3. 

There was a bizarre moment late on as Jorge Martin set a time over eight tenths quicker, including a middle sector that was 1.5s faster than Espargaro. 

The Spaniard remained on pole for several minutes before replays showed him cutting the corner at turn eight. 

Martin will start Sunday’s race from fourth, while Marc Marquez put in a late effort that was enough for fifth. Aleix Espargaro makes up the final position on the second row. 

The third row consists of Jack Miller seventh, Valentino Rossi eighth and Johann Zarco in tenth for Pramac Ducati. 

Qualifying One

MotoGP rookie Enea Bastianini was fastest after the initial run - more than a tenth quicker than Zarco, while Alex Rins was a further three tenths back in third. 

As Q1 headed into the final two minutes, pace setter Bastianini suffered a big crash at turn 12. It was a fall that cost the Italian as Rins and Zarco both jumped ahead of Bastianini with their final attempts.

Bastianini’s team-mate Luca Marini was fourth (14th overall), while Takaaki Nakagami had a disappointing session as he will line-up 15th for tomorrow’s race.