Jerez MotoGP pole for Espargaro, Pedrosa sixth on return

Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro took MotoGP pole for the Spanish Grand Prix in fine fashion, in a qualifying session which threw up ever-changing weather conditions at Jerez.

It was Espargaro’s fifth pole in MotoGP, coming not too long after he came close to having an unfortunate run-in with a stray cat in the pre-qualifying practice and then crashed moments after that.

Cat-like reflexes from @AleixEspargaro to avoid an unwanted fur track invader 🐈#SpanishGP 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/P7UbJSwT8P

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 29, 2023

Following Friday’s sunny skies, qualifying brought much duller conditions and at the start of Q1 rumbles of thunder and lightning began to roll in towards the circuit.

A light shower hit right at the end of the first qualifying session, making Q2 a big question mark in terms of whether the riders gambled on wet or slick tyres.

Some initially took to the track on wets, but quickly peeled back into the pits when it was clear the slick tyres were still the optimal approach for the time being.

The times began to topple as each rider got a feel for the improving conditions with the rain holding off, and the surface began to dry up quickly.

Personal best flashed up right until the chequered flag and Espargaro’s 1m37.216s was enough for pole, 0.221s ahead of Jack Miller as Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati) rounded out the front row.

🤯 @AleixEspargaro steals it at the very end!

The Spaniard takes pole on home turf 👏#SpanishGP 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/Xls1EY36HG

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 29, 2023

Miller’s KTM team-mate Brad Binder – who had to go through Q1 – ended qualifying in fourth ahead of fellow Q1 pace-setter Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati).

Dani Pedrosa’s impressive weekend continued, and he will start sixth on the grid to make it three KTM bikes on the first two rows. Miguel Oliveira (RNF Aprilia) ended up seventh.

A second-row start for @26_DaniPedrosa ✌️

The Little Samurai will be in the mix today and tomorrow 🤩#SpanishGP 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/VYDeP76lZN

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 29, 2023

Martin’s Pramac squadmate Johann Zarco will start eighth on the grid ahead of VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini and Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales.

LCR rider Takaaki Nakagami was the top Honda in 11th ahead of Gresini’s Alex Marquez – who at one point was in the fight for pole in his year-old Ducati.

In Q1 it was championship leader Marco Bezzecchi who missed out on a place in the top 12 shootout by 0.037s, followed by Franco Morbidelli.

Fabio Di Giannantonio ended qualifying 15th, with Morbidelli’s Yamaha team-mate Fabio Quartararo – who was unhappy with his M1 on Friday – not improving in pace and ending down in 16th. Quartararo previously never qualified lower than second at Jerez in MotoGP in five attempts.

Raul Fernandez’s session concluded with a 17th-place finish, ahead of last round’s winner Alex Rins.

Wildcard Stefan Bradl couldn’t get anything more than 20th out of his Honda RC213V and finished ahead of Joan Mir and Augusto Fernandez.

Stand-ins Jonas Folger and Iker Lecuona rounded out the grid in 22nd and 23rd. The field is down to 23 after the still-injured Ducati works rider Enea Bastianini withdrew on Saturday morning.

Qualifying Results