Fabio Quartararo snatched the pole at the Spanish Motorcycle Grand Prix. This victory at the Circuito de Jerez marks his first pole since 2022. The French racer set a scorching time of one minute and 35.610 seconds in the 45-minute qualifying session. Of all Quartararo’s victories, this was his biggest victory. Its good taste is further intensified after it came at the home circuit of his fierce rival, Marc Marquez.
Marquez, a six-time MotoGP world champion, came close but was unable to get the job done. That put Espargaro on a lap of one minute and 35.643 seconds in the second pole-qualifying round, just missing out on taking pole position to Fabio Quartararo’s time. The competition is fierce! Marquez now leads the championship standings, 17 points clear of Alex Marquez and 26 points ahead of Francesco Bagnaia.
Championship Standings and Competition
Despite missing out on pole, Marc Marquez’s championship standing remained secure. While his performance this season has been nothing short of incredible, the pressure from his competitors such as Quartararo and Bagnaia has increased fire to the underdog’s belt. Alex Marquez came in fourth and Franco Morbidelli rounded out the top five. That indicates just how competitive the race has gotten as the season has gone on.
Francesco Bagnaia, the two-time MotoGP champion, rounded out the front row in third. The presence of these fearsome competitors highlights just how much talent is packed into the 2023 MotoGP paddock. Quartararo’s performance carries him deep into the conversation as a true title threat as the season progresses.
Breaking Records at Jerez
The first of the two days at the Circuito de Jerez was dominated by riders trying to set a new lap record, which was eventually broken twice. This serves as a reminder of the ever-changing landscape of MotoGP, where riders are constantly testing the boundaries of speed and accuracy. Quartararo shared his excitement for the new experience, saying,
“It’s a really special feeling, a special emotion for everybody.”
He recognized the importance of the vibe around what would be an inaugural race weekend, adding that ,
“We know that the points are on the sprint and the race, but already to feel the atmosphere close to all these guys is something.”
Quartararo placed the same urgency on doing well in the sprint and in the race in both his tone and his content, stating,
“Hopefully, we can make a great fight on the sprint; on the race we know it’s a little more difficult. But super happy to be here. We are working hard and the work will pay off.”
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