Marc Marquez surprised by his pole position in Qatar

It didn't take long for the "Sheriff of Austin" to get back in the saddle after his disappointment in Texas. Victim of a crash while leading the race, Marc Marquez let the victory slip away, and with it, the championship lead. Yet, the eight-time world champion has lost none of his instincts or talent. Arriving in Qatar cautiously and without much certainty, he was able to make his experience count on a circuit that has historically been difficult for him.

Facing him, his teammate Francesco Bagnaia hoped to take advantage of the opportunity to regain the upper hand. The Italian, winner of the Grand Prix of the Americas, finally had the opportunity to assert himself and kick-start his season. But once again, Bagnaia failed to deliver in qualifying, and was dominated head and shoulders by his Spanish teammate. After a crash at the end of Q2, he will start only 11th on the grid, well behind Marquez.

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Marquez hits hard, Bagnaia misses

Marc, for his part, managed the session perfectly. In addition to dominating his brother Alex, the current championship leader and author of six second-place finishes this season, he knew how to handle the pressure and get the best out of his machine. “From the first run, I understood that Alex was super fast, recognizes Marc. He was driving very well, and on the second run, I played with several other drivers, but I was the one with provisional pole position, so I didn't need to attack. I waited until I was at the back of the group. My lap wasn't clean, but it was enough to get pole position! Honestly, I didn't expect to get pole here in Qatar.

This pole, the 64th of his career in MotoGP, confirms that the Cervera native is full of confidence. After his five victories since the start of the season (sprint and GP combined), he is now aiming for another double victory this weekend at Losail. The only hitch in his perfect run: his crash in Texas, the only shadow on the horizon of a nearly flawless start to the year.

While the momentum is clearly in Marquez's favor, Bagnaia will have to react quickly to avoid losing contact. Qatar could well mark a turning point in this 2025 season, which, race after race, seems to be turning into a fratricidal duel between the Marquezes.