The #1 holds on by 0.055 ahead of Espargaro and Marquez, with Martin forced to settle for fourth as the grids set the stage for a stunning finale
Bagnaia Secures Pole for Motul Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) stayed composed under intense pressure to claim pole position for both the Tissot Sprint and Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The reigning champion edged out Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro by just 0.055 seconds after a thrilling Q2 session. Joining them on the front row is Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), adding an extra layer of intrigue to the lineup. Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), meanwhile, starts P4, directly behind his title rival Bagnaia.
Q1 Drama: A Fight for Survival
Saturday began with FP2, where Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) topped the timesheets as riders made final tweaks to their setups. Bagnaia showed strong form, finishing ahead of Martin in preparation for the qualifying sessions.
When Q1 began, Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) set an impressive early pace, claiming the top spot. However, the session wasn’t without drama—Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) suffered a late crash at Turn 5. Despite the setback, it was Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) who secured the top two spots, earning their places in Q2 and setting the stage for a high-stakes pole battle.
Q2: A Nail-Biting Finale
The action intensified in Q2 as riders unleashed their best efforts. Francesco Bagnaia immediately took control, setting the fastest lap early on, while Jorge Martin initially slotted into third place. Aleix Espargaro, looking to support his fellow Spaniard Martin, seemed to have his own strategy, but it didn’t fully pan out.
As the session reached its final five minutes, Bagnaia dug deeper, improving his lap time. Franco Morbidelli then displaced Martin from the provisional front row, adding pressure on the Championship leader. Martin responded with a stronger lap on his final attempt but could only leapfrog his teammate into fourth, leaving him behind Marc Marquez. Meanwhile, Espargaro launched a last-ditch effort for pole but fell agonizingly short by less than a tenth of a second.
The Starting Grid
- Front Row: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™)
- Row 2: Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3)
- Row 3: Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)
Further down the grid, Fabio Quartararo rounded out the top 10, while Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) just missed out on Q2 by 0.028 seconds and starts from P13. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) struggled in qualifying and will line up P18, but his ability to charge through the pack makes him a rider to watch on race day.
What’s Next?
The stage is set for an unforgettable weekend in Catalunya. Bagnaia, Espargaro, and Marquez have prime spots for a Turn 1 showdown, while Jorge Martin faces the challenge of chasing Bagnaia from the second row. With the Tissot Sprint looming and the Championship title on the line, every lap will count.
Will the Championship leader Martin seal the deal, or can Bagnaia force the fight to continue?
Key Event Timings
- Saturday – Tissot Sprint: 15:00 (UTC+1)
- Sunday – Grand Prix: 14:00 (UTC+1)
Tune in to witness the drama unfold in the Motul Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona!
RESULTS
| Solidarity Barcelona MotoGP – Full Qualifying Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | ||
| 1 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati Lenovo (GP24) | 1’38.641s | 7/8 | ||
| 2 | Aleix Espargaro | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP24) | +0.055s | 7/8 | ||
| 3 | Marc Marquez | Gresini Ducati (GP23) | +0.157s | 7/9 | ||
| 4 | Jorge Martin | Pramac Ducati (GP24) | +0.208s | 7/8 | ||
| 5 | Franco Morbidelli | Pramac Ducati (GP24) | +0.245s | 3/5 | ||
| 6 | Pedro Acosta | Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (RC16)* | +0.308s | 7/8 | ||
| 7 | Maverick Viñales | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP24) | +0.351s | 6/7 | ||
| 8 | Enea Bastianini | Ducati Lenovo (GP24) | +0.437s | 6/9 | ||
| 9 | Marco Bezzecchi | VR46 Ducati (GP23) | +0.480s | 8/8 | ||
| 10 | Fabio Quartararo | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.568s | 3/8 | ||
| 11 | Alex Marquez | Gresini Ducati (GP23) | +0.611s | 5/5 | ||
| 12 | Johann Zarco | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.853s | 6/8 | ||
| Qualifying 1: | ||||||
| 13 | Joan Mir | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | 1’39.432s | 6/8 | ||
| 14 | Miguel Oliveira | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP24) | 1’39.487s | 6/8 | ||
| 15 | Alex Rins | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1’39.559s | 6/8 | ||
| 16 | Luca Marini | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | 1’39.619s | 6/8 | ||
| 17 | Raul Fernandez | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP24) | 1’39.645s | 3/8 | ||
| 18 | Brad Binder | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 1’39.678s | 7/8 | ||
| 19 | Jack Miller | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 1’39.749s | 6/6 | ||
| 20 | Takaaki Nakagami | LCR Honda (RC213V) | 1’39.793s | 4/8 | ||
| 21 | Augusto Fernandez | Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (RC16) | 1’40.166s | 6/8 | ||
| 22 | Michele Pirro | VR46 Ducati (GP23) | 1’40.252s | 2/7 | ||
| 23 | Stefan Bradl | HRC Test Team (RC213V) | 1’40.423s | 7/8 | ||
Bagnaia secures 2024 BMW M Award
Francesco Bagnaia Clinches Third Consecutive BMW M Award
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) has claimed the 2024 BMW M Award, adding another accolade to his illustrious MotoGP™ career. In a thrilling head-to-head battle with title rival Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Bagnaia secured pole position for the season finale, sealing his victory in the prestigious award competition.
A Hat-Trick of BMW M Awards for Bagnaia
This triumph marks Bagnaia’s third consecutive BMW M Award win, highlighting his consistent excellence in qualifying throughout the season. His achievement was crowned with a spectacular prize: the all-new BMW M5.
Key Specifications of the BMW M5
- Energy Consumption (Weighted, Combined): 1.7 – 1.6 l/100 km (166.2 – 176.6 mpg imp)
- Electric Energy Consumption (Weighted, Combined): 25.5 – 25.0 kWh/100 km (WLTP)
- CO2 Emissions (Weighted, Combined): 39 – 37 g/km (WLTP)
- Fuel Consumption with Discharged Battery: 10.3 – 10.2 l/100 km (27.4 – 27.7 mpg imp)
- CO2 Classes: Weighted, Combined B; Discharged Battery G
Bagnaia was presented the award immediately after Q2 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya by Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP™ rights-holder Dorna Sports, and Sylvia Neubauer, Vice President of Customer, Brand, and Sales at BMW M GmbH.
About the BMW M Award
The BMW M Award has been an integral part of MotoGP™ for over two decades, celebrating the fastest qualifiers across the season. This unique partnership with BMW M GmbH underscores the brand’s commitment as the Official Car of MotoGP™, offering elite riders the chance to take home exclusive high-performance vehicles.
Learn More
For details about the BMW M Award and the cutting-edge BMW M5, visit www.bmw-m.com.
Congratulations to Francesco Bagnaia for another historic achievement! 🎉
