Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia sizzles to Jerez MotoGP pole

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA (SPAIN): Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia signalled a return to form by scorching his way to pole position for the Spanish MotoGP as fastest qualifier at the Jerez track Saturday. The Italian was a massive 0.453sec faster than reigning world champion and current championship leader Fabio Quartararo with a sizzling 1min 36.17sec fastest lap.

The pair will start side by side in forecast sunshine at the Jerez circuit Sunday in the sixth GP of the 21-race season. The 25-year-old Bagnaia ran Quartararo a close second for the title in 2021 but made a poor start this season before declaring that he was starting to "feel better on the bike" after an eighth-place finish in last weekend's race in Portugal.

Defending world champion Quartararo won last weekend but had no answer to the Ducati Saturday. Spaniard Aleix Espargaro on an Aprilia took the third place on the front row with Australian Jack Miller and Frenchman Johann Zarco, both on Ducatis sandwiching Spaniard Marc Marquez on a Honda on the second.