Marc Márquez snags record ninth MotoGP pole at Sachsenring
**Marc Márquez** secured his ninth MotoGP pole on 11 July 2026, posting a blistering 1:19.041 at the Sachsenring and beating the nearest Ducati rider by just 0.051 seconds.
The Spanish rider sat fourth after the first round of runs, watching Marco Bezzecchi tumble at Turn 7. A yellow flag waved, but most competitors completed their laps. Raul Fernández briefly topped the sheet before Fabio Di Giannantonio replaced him with five minutes left, revving the Ducati‑Aprilia duel.
When the clock ticked down, Márquez unleashed his classic Sachsenring rhythm, carving the fast left‑handers with surgical precision. His lap shaved a tenth of a second off the previous best, nudging him ahead of his brother Alex Márquez, who claimed second after a helpful tow. The result gave Ducati a front‑row lockout for the first time this season.
Alex Márquez, riding for Gresini, finished a close second, while Di Giannantonio completed the podium, cementing Ducati’s dominance in qualifying. Aprilia’s Fernández recovered to fourth, followed by teammate Ai Ogura. The top six also featured Fabio Quartararo, who surged from Q1 to sixth, and Franco Morbidelli, who later incurred a three‑place grid penalty for impeding Pedro Acosta.
The grid line‑up hints at a tight battle. Bezzecchi, despite his crash, qualified eighth, with championship leader Jorge Martin right behind in ninth. Acosta sits tenth, while Francesco Bagnaia, after a Q1 climb, starts 11th. Jack Miller, Joan Mir and Luca Marini round out the top‑15, each looking to capitalize on any opening.
Morbidelli’s three‑place penalty drops him from seventh to tenth, and Diogo Moreira, originally 15th, will start from 18th after a similar sanction. These adjustments could tighten the midfield, especially if the Ducati‑Aprilia duel intensifies on the narrow Sachsenring bends.
The pole adds a record‑tying ninth to Márquez’s career tally, reinforcing his reputation as the circuit’s most successful rider with 12 victories there. A strong start from the front could help him chase the championship lead, especially as his main rivals grapple with penalties and mixed qualifying form.
Sunday’s Grand Prix kicks off at 14:00 local time. Fans will watch Márquez try to convert his pole into a win, while Ducati aims to turn its qualifying strength into race‑day dominance.