Six-time world champion Marc Marquez claimed his 100th career pole position during the Italian MotoGP qualifying, clocking a scorching 1:44.169 and setting a new lap record in the process.
The Spaniard, riding for Ducati in his debut season with the team, delivered a thrilling finish in Saturday’s qualifying session. Marquez initially benefited from a timely slipstream behind his brother Alex, but his final flying lap—set without any aerodynamic aid—proved enough to edge out home favourite Francesco Bagnaia by 0.059 seconds.
“I’m super happy because it was a real pole position, without slipstreams, just me pushing my limits,” Marquez shared. Despite hot track temperatures, he appeared ready for both the sprint and the main race, declaring his focus to remain sharp heading into Sunday.
The qualifying session was a rollercoaster of lap times, with Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo briefly holding the top spot before being surpassed by Bagnaia and finally Marquez. Quartararo ultimately settled for fourth, behind Alex Marquez, who completed an all-star front row.
The result adds a significant milestone to Marc Marquez’s illustrious career—his sixth pole of the current season, his 72nd in the premier MotoGP class, and the 100th overall when counting his achievements in Moto2 and the 125cc class.
With such momentum, the Ducati rider has sent a clear signal to rivals that he’s not just chasing records, but wins too.
