MotoGP Qatar: Martin secures second Doha pole

Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin continued his dominance in Doha with a pole position to back up last season’s MotoGP success.

1’53.011 placed the Spaniard on top of a frantic qualifying shootout, holding off Gresini Racing’s Enea Bastianini and eight-time champion Marc Marquez in the closing seconds as Fabio Quartararo prepared to line up for the first race of his title defence from 11th.

The hunt to control the first grid of the 2022 MotoGP season started with some big hitters facing the Q1 fight. Reigning World Champion Quartararo, his former teammate Maverick Viñales, Andrea Dovizioso and Johann Zarco amongst the 14 riders vying for just two promotion places.

The opening efforts found Zarco out front having just topped FP4 before fellow Frenchman Quartararo took charge with a 1’53.654. Mooney VR46 rookie Marco Bezzecchi impressed in third with a 1’53.9 ahead of Takaaki Nakagami and Miguel Oliveira before KTM teammate Brad Binder arrived to claim second.

Luca Marini’s second season in the premier class began from seventh as he continued to struggle with his 2022-spec Ducati, while last year’s victor, Viñales trailed in eighth. Fabio Di Giannantonio sat ninth as he got to grips with his Gresini Racing GP21 ahead of Alex Marquez, the KTM Tech3 rookies of Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner, and RNF Yamaha’s Dovizioso and Darryn Binder.

The latter rookie suffered his first fall at turn five as the final minute began, the yellow flags flying ahead of the final push as Quartararo’s red lap fell away in the final sector as he looked to improve.

Zarco found the flag without improving due to the previous yellows as the elder Binder took the lead on 1’53.512 pace. Oliveira pushed hard in the dying seconds but Quartararo remained safe