Two Ducatis on the front row of the starting grid for the Qatar GP, the first round of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship to start tomorrow at the Losail circuit, but they are not the official ones.
Pole was taken a little by surprise by Jorge Martin with Pramac, while Enea Bastianini will start alongside him on the Desmosedici of team Gresini.
Marc Marquez will also be with them, back to his levels on a Honda that is always treacherous.
Behind the trio was Jack Miller, with the Red of the Borgo Panigale team, while his teammate, Francesco Bagnaia, did not go beyond the ninth time.
Worse did the reigning champion, Fabio Quartararo, only 11 / o with the factory Yamaha.
"I feel good to always be in pole position - commented Martin,
ANSA.it
MOTORCYCLE SPECIAL: here is the first World Championship without Rossi - Specials
Drivers challenge Qartararo '2022 between the most hard-fought seasons' © ANSA
Bastianini rejoices, who had never risen so high on the starting grid, and who addressed a moving thought to Fausto Gresini, who passed away last year: "The weekend started well, we were also fast on the pace and the satisfaction was that we were also good on the flying lap, we were missing - he said - I'm very happy for the team and I think the boss would be happy if he were here ".
Marquez, a true champion, took advantage of a wake from Bagnaia to set a pole time, surpassed only by the two Ducati fans in the final.
"With this wind it was important to take someone as a reference and that's what I did - admitted the Spaniard, still not at the top after last year's physical problems." We start from the front row, it's important.
But tomorrow is the race.
However there are 21 races, it will be a long season.
ANSA agency
Qatar, Vietti on pole ahead of Arbolino in Moto2 - Moto
British Lowes completes the front row (ANSA)
Quartararo was in the opposite mood, struggling to get into Q2 (only with the 12th time) and again complained about the Yamaha's lack of speed.
Same problem complained by team mate Franco Morbidelli, twelfth on the grid.
The Suzuki, who had dominated free practice, were also bad: Joan Mir finished eighth and Alex Rins, tenth.
To divide them, Bagnaia, who confirmed the difficulties that emerged yesterday in free practice.
Coming back to get on the podium will not be easy, because high pace is expected ahead.
Aleix Espargaro's Aprilia did very well, fifth ahead of his brother Pol on the Honda.
In Moto2 and Moto3 the first poles of the season went to the Italian Celestino Vietti (Kalex) and the Spanish Izan Guevara (GASGAS).
ANSA agency
Motorcycle: Qatar;
pole Moto3, the first time for Guevara - Moto
The Spaniard precedes Sasaki and Masia, Migno fourth on the grid (ANSA)