MotoGP Indian Grand Prix: VR46’s Bezzecchi in pole position
The Hindu
Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Racing) took pole position for the inaugural Indian Grand Prix MotoGP race, 0.043 seconds ahead of Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing). Ducati bikes filled the top-four spots, with championship leader Francesco Bagnaia third and Luca Marini fourth. Repsol Honda riders Joan Mir and Marc Marquez followed in fifth and sixth. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing) crashed in Q1, suffering three broken ribs. Brad Binder (KTM Factory Racing) failed to qualify in the top-two in Q1. Sunday's race will see only 20 riders take the start.
Marco Bezzecchi stormed to pole position just 0.043 seconds ahead of Jorge Martin for the inaugural Indian Grand Prix MotoGP race here at the Buddh International Circuit on Saturday.
The Italian rider did a best time of 1:43:947, with Martin a few milliseconds behind after dominating the early part of the session. Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia rounded the front row in his factory Ducati bike, two-tenths behind the pole-sitter.
Bezzecchi had shown good form right from the start of the weekend as he topped Free Practice-1, while his VR46 teammate Luca Marini clinched the Practice session on Friday afternoon.
On Saturday, Marini qualified fourth, ensuring Ducati bikes sealed the top-four spots in qualifying.
The surprise package was the two Repsol Honda riders who qualified fifth and sixth, with 2020 champion Joan Mir ahead of six-time champion Marc Marquez.
Johan Zarco (Pramac Racing) was seventh fastest ahead of Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo. The Aprilia riders of Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro completed the top-ten.
Earlier in the first qualifying session (Q1), Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez in the customer Ducati and RNF MotoGP team’s Raul Fernandez in the Aprilia bike were the two riders who qualified for Q2.
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