(Reuters) – Francesco Bagnaia took pole position for Ducati on home turf at the San Marino Grand Prix on Saturday after the reigning world champion broke the lap record in qualifying at the Misano circuit, while Gresini Racing’s Marc Marquez crashed.
Bagnaia was one of the first riders out as he set the pace before breaking the lap record nearer the end of the second qualifying session when he clocked one minute and 30.304 seconds.
Franco Morbidelli was second-fastest for Pramac Racing while VR46 Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi will start third, giving Ducati a front-row lockout with three Italian riders — all products of MotoGP great Valentino Rossi’s academy.
“I’m very proud of this day because it’s a great chapter for the Academy. It’s good because we also train a lot here. So it’s the first time that all together (we) can show the fruit out of the work we do every time here,” Bagnaia said.
“So, very happy about it and I’m very happy also because the pace is super good. My feeling on the bike is fantastic.”
Bagnaia suffered a nasty crash at the Aragon Grand Prix last weekend and said he is not 100% physically fit.
“But luckily while I’m riding, I feel OK, so this is good,” he added.
Championship leader and Morbidelli’s teammate Jorge Martin was fourth-fastest while MotoGP rookie GasGas Tech3’s Pedro Acosta was the fastest non-Ducati bike on his KTM. Brad Binder from the factory KTM team completes the second row.
Marquez, who clinched pole and won both the sprint and race at the Aragon Grand Prix, crashed on turn 15 when he lost control of his front end and he will start ninth on the grid — behind his brother Alex and Ducati’s Enea Bastianini.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
