Quartararo takes third consecutive circuit record pole

Fast Frenchman lights up gloomy Silverstone with another epic lap, Jack Miller on the second row

Fabio Quartararo has once again underlined his blistering one-lap pace with a scintillating performance in qualifying, claiming a record-breaking pole position. The Frenchman rode solo throughout the session, refusing to engage in tactical drafting games and instead extracting every ounce of performance from his Yamaha M1 — a bike that simply sings through the flowing right-handers leading onto the main straight. It’s Quartararo’s third consecutive pole and arguably his most impressive yet, with an all-time lap record his rivals couldn’t hope to match.

The session kicked off with brothers Alex and Marc Marquez playing their now-familiar high-speed game of follow the leader. Alex seemed happy to tow Marc around, and initially it seemed to pay off, with Marc surging to the top of the timesheets early on. But he was quickly usurped as conditions improved with the track rubbering in after overnight rain.

Jack Miller was in the mix early, at one point slotting into second just behind Rins, and the Australians in the crowd roared in approval. However, the all-Yamaha front row at the halfway mark — with Quartararo, Miller, and Rins — wouldn’t last long as the factory Ducatis began flexing their muscle. Pecco Bagnaia, finally putting his front-end issues to the side and with Luca Marini in tow, punched in a lap good enough for provisional pole. But just as quickly, it was stripped from him by a flying Alex Marquez, who repaid his earlier tow by letting Marc lead through the second runs.

Fans barely had time to process that change before Quartararo nailed a lap so breathtaking it twisted the session on its head — red sectors lit up across the timing screens as he shattered the circuit’s lap record by over three-tenths.

Marc Marquez mounted one final challenge but he was clearly on the ragged edge, experiencing a big moment at Copse Corner before running off track entirely later in the lap. Alex Marquez, still carrying the aftereffects of a heavy highside in practice, managed to secure an impressive second place and could be a real threat in the races thanks to his consistent pace. Bagnaia, having shown signs of growing confidence, completes the front row and will surely be in the hunt if he gets a clean getaway.

Among the standout performances behind them was Fermin Aldeguer’s fifth place — the rookie sensation clearly the 4th fastest Ducati rider. Jack Miller will also be pleased to lock in sixth, a great result after the disappointment of Le Mans.

Just behind Miller, Fabio Di Giannantonio continued his strong qualifying form to secure seventh, quietly putting himself in the mix for a potential top-five finish. Luca Marini followed in eighth, showing improved pace on the Honda as he edges closer to the front-runners. Johann Zarco took ninth, while Marco Bezzecchi had to settle for an unspectacular 10th place on the grid – disappointing given how strong he looked in practice at some stages. It’s worth remembering that Aleix Espargaro held the previous circuit record for Aprilia.

With the grid now locked in, all eyes turn to what promises to be an electrifying Sprint race this afternoon. Will Quartararo be strong enough to keep the Ducatis at bay in race trim?

Silverstone MotoGP Qualifying