Zarco snatches Portuguese MotoGP pole in crash-hit qualifying

Frenchman Johann Zarco will begin Sunday’s Portuguese MotoGP in pole position on his Ducati Pramac after topping a crash-encumbered qualifying ahead of Spanish rider Joan Mir.

Aleix Espargaro becomes half faster in Portimao on Saturday, while reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo will start the fifth race of the yr in the 5th location.

Championship leader Enea Bastianini did not make it thru to Q2 after falling and finished 18th.

Zarco’s pole was the seventh of his career, but the twice-former Moto2 champion has never won a race in the elite category.

“I didn’t expect such a good lap,” said Zarco, who made the most of a drying track as the sun came out following rain-soaked practice sessions.

“It was tricky in the afternoon with the wet patches and we were asking ourselves which tires to use during the last practice session.

“We were finally able to use the dry tires for the qualifying and that worked really well.”

Several of the favorites struggled to master the slick surface, with Francesco Bagnaia appearing to injure his shoulder after a heavy tumble in Q1.

The Italian was taken to the circuit’s medical center where scans showed no fracture, but he was then transported to a nearby hospital for further tests.

“I hate to say that I was scared. You always have to say you have respect but today, no I’m sorry, I was scared, because the wet patches were very slippery,” said Aleix Espargaro.

“When you’re sitting in the garage and you see in Q1 there are many crashes, all of them huge, you have to be focused and very sure, but you cannot.

“For me, this is like a victory, I hate these conditions.”

Six-time world champion Marc Marquez was in contention for pole but his lap was canceled as Honda team-mate and compatriot Pol Espargaro crashed on the final corner.

Marquez qualified in ninth just ahead of Pol Espargaro, having walked away from another crash in practice as he lost control in a corner and flew over the handlebars.

His head hit the tarmac after he landed but he got straight up, shaking his head.

He crashed in practice for the Indonesian Grand Prix and missed that race and the next one in Argentina with a recurrence of his double vision.

The Spaniard had thrived in the rain on Friday, setting the fastest time.

Quartararo stated he became “very glad” to be on the second row but rued not being capable of recording the last lap after yellow flags came out inside the wake of any other spill.

“The pinnacle 5 virtually have the potential to be at the podium the next day,” stated Quartararo, additionally suggesting it’d be foolish to write down off Marquez’s probabilities.

Local rider Miguel Oliveira changed into not being able to copy his speedy exercise instances and needed to settle for eleventh in qualifying.

“I do not assume the beginning grid is a good indication of the race result the following day… Because of me,” he said.

Spain’s Aron Canet will line up on his Kalex at the front of the grid for Sunday’s Moto2 race, whilst Turkey’s Deniz Oncu of KTM took pole in Moto3 qualifying.