Marc Marquez’s unbeaten run of 2025 MotoGP pole positions came to an unexpected end when Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo claimed pole during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.
Marquez was leading by 0.229s during the mid-session tyre change and seemed on course for his fifth consecutive pole of the season. However, Quartararo surged to the top late in the session, beating Marquez by just 0.033s to secure his first pole since Mandalika 2022.
Francesco Bagnaia, riding with only one available Ducati after crashing in final practice, was fifth fastest during the early part of qualifying. The three-time Spanish GP winner briefly moved up to second before Quartararo’s final charge.
Alex Marquez (Gresini), Franco Morbidelli (VR46), and Maverick Vinales (KTM) will form the second row of the grid.
Vinales and Marco Bezzecchi advanced to Qualifying 2 by taking the final transfer spots in Qualifying 1.
Despite two heavy crashes in final practice, Alex Rins returned for a single lap attempt during qualifying.
The 12-lap Jerez Sprint race is scheduled to start at 3 PM local time.
Meanwhile, Aleix Espargaro is making his Honda MotoGP debut this weekend as a wild-card, testing prototype parts on the RC213V. The former Aprilia rider transitioned to HRC testing duties after retiring at the end of last season.
Due to Jorge Martin’s ongoing injuries from Qatar, Aprilia’s test rider Lorenzo Savadori continues to stand in. Yamaha’s test rider Augusto Fernandez also remains as the substitute for Miguel Oliveira at Pramac for the third consecutive event.
The first official in-season MotoGP test of 2025 will be held at Jerez on Monday.
