Marco Bezzecchi has made MotoGP history at MotorLand Aragón, becoming the first rider to lap the Spanish circuit in under 1:45 as he beat Marc Márquez to pole position for the 2026 Aragon Grand Prix.
The Aprilia Racing rider produced a stunning 1:44.962 in Q2, lowering the outright circuit record and edging reigning World Champion Márquez by just 0.089 seconds. Álex Márquez completed the front row for Gresini Racing.
Bezzecchi breaks the 1:45 barrier
Bezzecchi had already rewritten the MotorLand record book during Friday Practice, when his 1:45.455 put him narrowly ahead of Álex and Marc Márquez. On Saturday morning he went considerably further.
Marc Márquez initially lowered the record to 1:45.136, but Bezzecchi immediately answered with a 1:44.984 — the first sub-1:45 MotoGP lap ever recorded at the circuit.
There was more to come. Despite carrying the effects of an earlier incident, Bezzecchi found another 0.022 seconds on his second run to set the definitive 1:44.962. It meant the Italian had produced not one but two laps in the 1:44s during the pole shootout.
MotoGP’s official qualifying report confirms Bezzecchi’s record-breaking time and the 0.089-second margin separating the leading pair.
Márquez comes within 0.089s
That margin tells only part of the story. On his final attempt, Márquez reduced his deficit from 0.141 seconds after the opening sector to just 0.013 seconds, before a front-end moment at Turn 14 ended his challenge for pole.
The Ducati rider therefore had to settle for second, leaving Bezzecchi on pole at a circuit where Márquez has historically been exceptionally strong.
Álex Márquez’s third place adds another contender to the front row, while Raúl Fernández starts fourth ahead of World Championship leader Jorge Martín in fifth. Pedro Acosta took sixth despite crashing at Turn 8 during Q2.
Bagnaia recovers from Q1
Francesco Bagnaia was forced to negotiate Q1 after missing direct passage on Friday. The Ducati Lenovo rider progressed alongside rookie Diogo Moreira and ultimately qualified eighth.
Fabio Di Giannantonio took seventh, with Johann Zarco ninth and Moreira completing the top 10. Fermín Aldeguer and Franco Morbidelli round out the fourth row.
A record-breaking Friday becomes a historic Saturday
Bezzecchi’s pole builds on a remarkable start to the Aragon weekend. During Friday Practice, the leading three riders were separated by only 0.038 seconds, with Bezzecchi’s then-record 1:45.455 beating Álex Márquez by 0.028s and Marc Márquez by 0.038s.
MotoGP described Friday’s session as the closest ever top three in a Friday MotoGP session, setting up the qualifying fight that followed.
The Aragón weekend follows another significant MotoGP development covered by Tech Torque Media, with Pramac Yamaha confirming Izan Guevara will replace Jack Miller for 2027.
What it means for the Aragon Sprint
The result gives Bezzecchi the best possible starting position for Saturday’s Tissot Sprint as well as Sunday’s Grand Prix, but the tiny gap to Márquez suggests outright race pace could be extremely close.
With Bezzecchi and the Márquez brothers occupying the front row, the run into MotorLand’s opening sequence should be crucial. The Sprint starts at 15:00 local time, which is 14:00 in the UK.
Tech Torque Verdict
Bezzecchi’s pole is more significant than simply topping another qualifying session. Breaking the 1:45 barrier once would have been historic; doing it twice under Q2 pressure confirms the Aprilia rider has genuine one-lap speed at MotorLand.
The bigger warning for the rest of the grid is how little separates him from Marc Márquez. A margin of 0.089 seconds leaves almost nothing between the two heading into the Sprint, while Álex Márquez gives the front row another proven contender. If qualifying is any indication, Aragón is set up for a serious fight at the front.
