Jorge Martin Beats Marc Marquez to Austrian MotoGP Pole
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
Jorge Martin narrowly defeated championship rival Marc Marquez to claim pole position for Sunday’s Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.
The Aprilia rider produced a standout qualifying lap to secure his third pole of the 2026 season, finishing just 0.015 seconds ahead of Marquez. Pedro Acosta completed an all-Spanish front row after qualifying third.
Martin Takes Third Pole of the Season
Martin was involved in a closely contested qualifying session with Marquez, but managed to find the small margin needed to take the top spot.
“I was pushing like hell,” Martin told TNT Sports after qualifying.
He said his team had made steady improvements throughout the weekend and added that he felt prepared for Sunday’s race.
Marquez Admits Martin Had the Edge
Defending MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez has strengthened his championship campaign by winning five of the last seven races.
However, the Ducati rider acknowledged that Martin was quicker during Saturday’s qualifying session.
“He was faster. The front row was the main target today,” Marquez said.
The second-place starting position keeps Marquez in a strong position for the Austrian Grand Prix as he looks to continue his recent run of victories.
Acosta Leads KTM Challenge at Home
Pedro Acosta will start third after previously setting the fastest time during Friday practice.
Racing at KTM’s home circuit, Acosta will be aiming to secure his first MotoGP victory. The Spanish rider is also set to leave KTM after the current campaign and join Marc Marquez at Ducati next season.
Italy’s Marco Bezzecchi qualified fourth, followed by Japan’s Ai Ogura in fifth.
Alex Marquez will start sixth after crashing toward the end of the qualifying session.
Martin and Marquez Level on Points
The championship battle remains extremely close heading into Sunday’s race.
Martin and Marquez are both on 274 points at the top of the standings, although Marquez currently leads the championship on the tiebreaker because he has recorded more race victories.
Bezzecchi occupies third place overall, 33 points behind the two leaders.
With Martin and Marquez starting alongside each other on the front row, the Austrian Grand Prix could have an important impact on the tightly contested MotoGP championship.
