Jorge Martin Claims Pole Position at Motegi with New Record
Jorge Martin set a new track record of 1:42.371 during the Q2 session at the Motegi circuit on October 3, 2026, securing the pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, sport.sky.it reported. The Aprilia rider delivered a late surge to edge out the competition, capturing his fourth pole of the 2026 season and the 24th of his top-class career.
Reflecting on his performance in the park fermé, Martin told Sky, “Fare la pole non è facile, ma da ieri abbiamo fatto un bel salto con la moto, non pensavo di fare la pole. Sono quasi caduto alla 8, ma ho fatto un bellissimo giro, da solo. Arrivo al venerdì e non ho nessuna base, devo partire da zero. Sono abituato e il team e lo è ugualmente, abbiamo le soluzioni.” His lap eclipsed the previous benchmark of 1:42.811 set by Alex Marquez just a day prior.
Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta Complete the Front Row
Marc Marquez secured the second-fastest time with a 1:42.481, recorded early during his first run in Q2. This marks the fourth race weekend where Marquez has qualified in second position, having previously slotted in behind Marco Bezzecchi at Aragon and Misano, and behind Pedro Acosta in Austria. Acosta rounded out the front row by taking third place in the closing moments of the session.
Marco Bezzecchi led the second row in fourth place. Behind him, the rest of the top twelve grid positions featured Alex Marquez in fifth, followed by Diggia, Enea Bastianini in seventh, Raul, Moreira, Zarco, Ai Ogura, and Fabio Quartararo.
Pecco Bagnaia Eliminated in Q1 as Ai Ogura Advances
The qualifying format brought significant drama earlier in the morning when Pecco Bagnaia failed to advance past the Q1 session. Bagnaia finished outside the top two cutoff spots, resulting in a 13th-place grid start for the Grand Prix. Ai Ogura and Raul Fernandez claimed the two advancement spots from Q1 into Q2, with Ogura ultimately fighting through to secure 11th on the final grid.
The morning schedule also featured the Q2 session, which experienced a brief red flag period following a fall by Zarco in turn 9. Once track marshals cleared the surface, riders returned to complete their preparations ahead of the afternoon’s competitive action.
Jorge Martin claims pole position as Marc Marquez takes second
Who won the pole position for the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi?
Jorge Martin claimed the pole position for Aprilia with a record-setting lap time of 1:42.371 during the Q2 qualifying session on October 3, 2026.
Where did Marc Marquez finish in the Motegi qualifying session?
Marc Marquez secured second place on the grid with a time of 1:42.481, marking his fourth second-place qualifying result of the season.
Why did Bagnaia start outside the top ten on the grid?
Pecco Bagnaia missed the cut during the Q1 qualifying session, finishing as the first rider outside the transfer spots and leaving him to start from 13th position.
What was notable about Aprilia’s performance in Japan?
According to historical data cited by sport.sky.it, this performance marked Aprilia’s first pole position at the Motegi circuit.
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