Jorge Martin dominated the Australian MotoGP Sprint Qualifying to secure pole position for Saturday afternoon’s race at the iconic Phillip Island circuit.
The qualifying session set the stage for an intense competition, with several riders contending for top spots on the grid, but it was Martin who emerged as the clear frontrunner.
The 2024 Australian MotoGP Sprint qualifying session unfolded under challenging conditions, with a drying track that presented both opportunities and risks. Riders had to navigate their strategies carefully, particularly as Michelin introduced a new rear tire option due to the resurfacing of Phillip Island.
The session began with two groups: Qualifying 1 (Q1) and Qualifying 2 (Q2). In Q1, Raul Fernandez and Enea Bastianini excelled on the drying track, securing their spots in Q2 at the expense of notable competitors like Luca Marini and local favorite Jack Miller.
As Q2 commenced, the intensity heightened. Jorge Martin, riding for Pramac Ducati, set a blistering pace that left his competitors scrambling. His lap time of 1:27.246 was not only impressive but also over six-tenths of a second faster than his closest rival, Marc Marquez of Gresini Ducati, who qualified second.
Maverick Viñales from Aprilia secured third place on the grid ahead of VR46 Ducati’s Marco Bezzecch while reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia salvaged fifth position after delivering a strong final lap.
Raul Fernandez secured the sixth fastest lap despite suffering from illness on Friday as Franco Morbidelli, Alex Marquez, Alex Rins and Enea Bastianini rounded out the top ten. KTM’s Brad Binder and Di Giannantonio followed closely behind in 11th and 12th.
Honda riders Luca Marini and Johann Zarco narrowly missed out on a Q2 appearance, but the duo displayed rapid speed over their respective teammates to qualify 13th and 14th, respectively.
Despite setting the fastest lap repeatedly in Q1, Acosta made a massive rookie mistake as he decided to hold off on his final run, allowing four riders to improve their lap times. He will start both races in 15th.
Jack Miller will start his home race in 16th with the second GasGas rider of Augusto Fernandez behind in 17th. 2020 and 2021 MotoGP champions Joan Mir and Fabio Quartararo will start 18th and 19th aboard the Japanese marques of Honda and Yamaha.
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro finished in 20th with Takaaki Nakagami and Lorenzo Savadori taking the last two spots on the grid.
