World champion Marc Marquez on pole at Grand Prix Spain as Marco Bezzecchi settles for fourth

For the Ducati Lenovo rider, it is his first success in qualifying since Balaton Park in Hungary last season.

Since then, he has endured a difficult return to fitness after shoulder surgery following a collision with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) back in October last year in Indonesia.

When the 33-year-old Spaniard arrived for the weekend’s action, he downplayed his team’s chances, but he is now set up for a strong challenge in both Saturday’s Sprint race and the full-length event on Sunday, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

Marquez is yet to win a race in the current season, and he sits in fifth place overall with 45 points.

There was a moment of tactical surprise from Marquez as he did not duck in for a second tyre, instead driving straight through the pit-lane to dominate the second session in changeable conditions.

Current championship leader Bezzecchi was in fourth position at the end of the session, meaning he will start both races on the second row.

There was a surprise from Johann Zarco, who rode his Castrol Honda into second spot. Third went to VR46 Ducati's Fabio Di Giannantonio, who continued his strong riding this season but saw his run of two consecutive poles come to an end.

Alex Marquez, who was fastest on the BK8 Gresini on Friday in Practice, was fifth fastest, while Pedro Acosta did well to bring his Red Bull KTM bike into sixth spot.

Jorge Martin suffered a heavy crash in the session, and the rider sitting second in the championship will find it tough to challenge his Aprilia team-mate Bezzecchi as he starts back in seventh on the third row of the grid. 

For Martin, it was his third crash which may concern the former world champion after a string of injuries that blighted his season, with TNT Sports pundit Neil Hodgson suggesting that should Aprilia be forced to choose between him and his colleague Bezzecchi, it is the Italian who will ultimately get preferential treatment from the manufacturer given Martin is set to swap to Yamaha for 2027.

Acosta's own stable-mate, Red Bull KTM's Enea Bastianini, was eighth quickest. Raul Fernandez was ninth in his Trackhouse Aprilia.

There is some intrigue ahead of the weekend’s racing, with rain affecting the times and conditions of qualifying, but the rest of the action is expected to take place in the dry.

Francesco Bagnaia continues to endure another underwhelming season after last year's struggles. The second Ducati Lenovo rider was 10th quickest, suggesting it could be another tough weekend for the two-time world champion.

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