Score on pole, the French are far away

The 2023 MotoGP season kicks off with the Portuguese Grand Prix taking place this weekend. This Saturday, on the Algarve circuit, near Portimao, Marc Marquez set the fastest time and therefore won pole position at the end of qualifying, after having also had to go through Q1. The Spaniard, a Honda driver, will therefore start in the lead of this Sunday’s race, but also the sprint which will take place a little later in the afternoon of this Saturday. This race format is brand new this year. For this inaugural round of the season, Marquez, who signed the 64th pole position since the start of his career, was not necessarily the most anticipated in this place.

Marquez leads the outgoing world champion

Moreover, after these famous qualifications, the main interested party did not hide his surprise, at the microphone of Canal+ : ” I can not understand. I didn’t pass this time in the most polite way possible. I took wheels, it’s true, but we had to take advantage of them. Frankly, I don’t know what I’m doing there in pole position but it will be a great advantage for today and tomorrow. »

On the starting grid, the six-time world champion in the premier category will be ahead of the Italian Francesco Bagnaia, who is none other than the outgoing world champion., in MotoGP, riding his Ducati. As for the third place of the day, it goes to another Spaniard, in the person of Jorge Martin, pilot from Ducati-Pramac. Behind, the two Frenchmen on the circuit are a long way off. Indeed, Fabio Quartararo, riding his Yamaha, is only eleventh. For his part, his compatriot Johann Zarco is doing slightly better. The Ducati-Pramac team rider set the tenth fastest time of the day.