Bagnaia breaks lap record to claim Catalunya GP pole

BARCELONA : Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia broke the lap record to claim his sixth pole position of the season for Ducati at the Catalunya Grand Prix in Barcelona on Saturday.

Bagnaia, who leads Jorge Martin by 62 points in the overall standings, finished top with a time of one minute 38.639 seconds at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro, whose record Bagnaia broke, set the second-fastest time after dominating practice on Friday, while Portugal's Miguel Oliveira came through the first qualifying session to complete the front row.

Spaniards Maverick Vinales and Martin were fourth and fifth, with Frenchman Johann Zarco in sixth.

Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo, the 2021 world champion, did not advance to the second qualifying session after falling over in the gravel.