Marco Bezzecchi edged a determined Pedro Acosta to claim Portimao MotoGP pole position while Alex Marquez crashed out of qualifying.
The Aprilia rider’s final lap of 1m38.512s proved just enough to secure the top spot, with Acosta finishing a close second, while Fabio Quartararo completed the front row in third, setting the stage for a thrilling race in the penultimate round of the 2025 MotoGP season.
The day began with Q1 at 10:50 local time, where the lower-ranked riders and some notable competitors had to fight for the final two spots to progress to Q2.
Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and Jack Miller led the charge, both showing strong pace and consistency that would ultimately see them advance to Q2.
Riders such as Luca Marini, Brad Binder, Franco Morbidelli, Enea Bastianini, Alex Rins, Miguel Oliveira, Lorenzo Savadori, Somkiat Chantra and MotoGP debutant Nicolo Bulega were unfortunately eliminated at this stage, settling for grid positions outside the top ten.
Q2 saw the cream of the MotoGP field take to the track, with Alex Marquez entering as the favorite after topping both Friday sessions.
The Gresini Ducati star set an early benchmark but the track conditions were far from stable with grip levels fluctuating due to the damp morning and the build-up of rubber from earlier sessions being washed away.
However, Marquez’s provisional pole was short-lived as he tumbled at Turn 3 while on his second rear tire, ending his hopes of a front-row start with his previous fastest lap only best for fifth.
With Alex Marquez crash ruling him out of contention, the battle for pole turned to a two-man affair between Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta.
However, Bezzecchi was in a class of his own as he proceeded to showcase his mastery of the Portimao circuit by setting a series of fastest laps.
His final run was particularly impressive, as he managed to extract every ounce of performance from his Aprilia RS-GP25, setting a time that would ultimately clinch the 2025 Portimao MotoGP pole position, marking his fourth holeshot this season.
Full 2025 Portuguese MotoGP Qualifying Results
2025 Portuguese MotoGP Practice Results – Friday
Acosta had to settle for second, just 0.150 seconds adrift, while Quartararo was the best of the Yamahas in third, just 0.149 seconds behind Bezzecchi.
Meanwhile, Francesco Bagnaia who had struggled in earlier sessions made a late surge from 10th to take the fourth spot on the grid. The Italian’s improvement was a result of Ducati’s strategic tire choices and a focus on maximizing his pace in the closing minutes of Q2.
Johann Zarco, in his strongest run of form in quite some time, took sixth place on the grid, ahead of fellow Honda rider Joan Mir and Pramac Yamaha’s Jack Miller.
Zarco’s performance was a highlight of the session, as he managed to overcome the challenges of the track and posted a time that put him in contention for a top-six finish.
Mir, who had shown flashes of brilliance throughout the weekend, was unable to match Zarco’s pace but still secured a solid seventh place on the grid.
Jack Miller who had advanced from Q1 secured eighth on the grid, just behind Mir. The Pramac Yamaha rider delivered a strong performance which was a positive sign for the team as they look to end the season on a high note.
The Q2 order was completed by VR46 Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, KTM Tech3 stand-in Pol Espargaro, Trackhouse Aprilia’s Ai Ogura and Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer.
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