Marco Bezzecchi delivered a stunning home performance at the Misano World Circuit on Friday, becoming the first rider to lap the venue in under 90 seconds as he stormed to pole position for the San Marino Grand Prix.
The Aprilia Racing rider clocked a 1:29.982 on his third flying lap in Q2, shattering the previous benchmark and leaving defending world champion Marc Marquez two-tenths adrift in second. Fermin Aldeguer completed an impressive front row for Gresini Racing after coming through Q1.
A lap that rewrites the record books
Bezzecchi had been building speed throughout practice but saved his best for the decisive qualifying session. After a quiet opening to Q2, the Rimini native erupted with a 1:29.982 that immediately put the rest of the field on the back foot. It was the first sub-1:30 lap ever recorded at Misano, and it left even the Aprilia garage momentarily stunned.
The Italian could not replicate the effort on a second run as track conditions evolved, but it ultimately did not matter. Marquez, who had topped the timesheets briefly after Bezzecchi's effort, came closest to matching the pace but bailed out of an attempt at Turn 10 on his second push, then lost time in the final sector on his third and final effort. His best lap of 1:30.180 left him 0.198 seconds off the pace.
Alex Marquez's Q2 nightmare
The session was not without drama. Gresini's Alex Marquez topped the opening lap of Q2 only to slide out moments later in the second sector. The Spaniard remounted but crashed again on his second attempt, condemning him to ninth on the grid despite his raw speed.
Behind the front row, Fabio Di Giannantonio held provisional second before crashing at Turn 4 with five minutes remaining. The VR46 rider slipped to fourth on the grid but escaped with just a bruised pride. Championship leader Jorge Martin could manage only fifth for Aprilia, while Luca Marini made it an impressive sixth — the best-placed Honda — on his home circuit.
Bagnaia's Q1 misery
Francesco Bagnaia endured a torrid session, eliminated in Q1 after failing to set a competitive time. The Ducati Lenovo rider will start from 14th, a far cry from the front-row battles that have defined his season. Fabio Quartararo joins him on the back row after the Yamaha rider also failed to progress.
The grid
The front row sees Bezzecchi lead Marquez and Aldeguer, with Di Giannantonio, Martin, and Marini completing row two. Pedro Acosta heads row three in seventh ahead of Franco Morbidelli and the hapless Alex Marquez, while Raul Fernandez rounds out the top ten for Trackhouse Racing.
With a 1:29.982 lap already in the books, the sprint on Saturday promises a fierce duel between Bezzecchi and Marquez as the home crowd roars on their man.
Sources
https://www.speedweek.com/en/a/motogp/q2-thriller-at-misano-pole-for-bezzecchi-alex-marquez-involved-in-a-double-crash https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2026/09/12/showstopper-bezzecchi-goes-sub-90-seconds-at-misano-to-beat-marquez-to-pole/1089343
