Marquez takes pole for Spanish MotoGP

Jerez de la Frontera, Spain: Six time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez secured his first pole position as a Ducati Gresini rider and 65th of his career on...

Jerez de la Frontera, Spain: Six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez secured his first pole position as a Ducati-Gresini rider and 65th of his career on Saturday for the Spanish MotoGP.

The 31-year-old will also start on pole for the sprint race later Saturday with Marco Bezzecchi of Italy, on a Ducati-VR46, and fellow Spaniard and championship leader Jorge Martin (Ducati-Primac) on the front row.

"It's been a long time!" said Marquez, whose last pole position was the Portuguese MotoGP in March, 2023.

Marquez's recent campaigns have been marred by injury but he said he hoped to "finish on the podium".

So far this campaign Marquez, who moved from Honda to Ducati this season, has had two podium finishes in the sprint race, in Portugal and the United States.