MotoGP Argentina: Espargaro stuns with maiden Aprilia pole

Aleix Espargaro secured his maiden pole position as part of the Aprilia project with a 1’37.688 lap around the Termas de Rio Hondo Circuit.

Denied the all-time lap record by just 0.005s, the celebrations were nonetheless in full flow for the Noale factory, with Maverick Viñales backing up the outstanding performance of the RS-GP from fifth.

Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin claimed his third front row start of the season, in second, with Luca Marini rounding out the Parc Fermé celebrations for the second time in his premier class career.

Just ten minutes after free practice concluded, qualifying kicked off with some big hitters fighting for the final two promotion places. Championship leader Enea Bastianini opened the session with a 1’38.927 before Takaaki Nakagami denied him by a mere 0.014s. Fabio Di Giannantonio followed his Gresini teammate to third with Marco Bezzecchi and Darryn Binder behind before Miguel Oliveira and Pol Espargaro slotted in to third and fourth.

Pecco Bagnaia continued to struggle with his Ducati Lenovo GP22, the Italian having failed to set a competitive time and running 14th, and last, at the halfway stage. VR46 academy cohort Franky Morbidelli pushing his Yamaha M1 to fourth in the session, four-tenths adrift of Nakagami’s benchmark time with a 1’39.307.

Red sectors covered the timing screens with three minutes left on the clock, Bagnaia storming to the lead with a 1’38.610 and taking fellow Ducati man Bezzecchi with him to second before Nakagami replied, 0.087s faster overall.

Pol Espargaro rose to the occasion on his penultimate effort, a 1’38.501 clinching a Honda lockout for the two available promotions as Bastianini improved to third, a painful 0.043s adrift of Q2 and 0.065s off the fastest