The greatest Q2 ever? It has to be in the mix. #TheRematch was turned to up to full power on Saturday morning at Sepang as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) treated us to a qualifying battle for the ages – and it was the reigning World Champion who came out on top.
Pecco’s phenomenal 1:56.337 in the closing stages saw the #1 beat Martin’s magnificent 1:56.553 to clinch a crucial PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia pole position, as the title-chasing duo get set to launch from P1 and P2 for the Tissot Sprint and Grand Prix race this weekend. Last year’s Sprint winner and Sunday podium finisher, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), joins Bagnaia and Martin on the front row for Chapter 19 of 2024.
Q1
The first reference lap time in Q1 came from Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), a 1:58.063, but that didn’t last long. Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) climbed to P1 thanks to a 1:57.974, with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) moving ahead of Binder into P2. At the end of the first time attacks, 0.089s split Bezzecchi, Acosta and Binder, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) 0.133s off P1 in fourth.
On his next run on fresh rubber, Bezzecchi improved by a tenth and shadowing his teammate, Andrea Iannone briefly pounced to a very impressive P5. Binder then responded. The South African now led the session with a 1:57.800, which saw Acosta drop to P3. Could Acosta find a time to grab a Q2 spot? Yes he could. Acosta beat Bezzecchi’s time by 0.030s but attention turned to a flying Frenchman.
Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), after starting his final five minutes needing to restart his bike at Turn 2, produced an absolute showstopper to end Q1 at the summit. Zarco clinched top spot by 0.165s as the #5 and Binder earned Q2 promotion, leaving Acosta and Bezzecchi P13 and P14 on the grid for the Tissot Sprint and race.
Q2
We didn’t need it, but that certainly whetted the appetite for the pivotal pole position shootout in Sepang. On the first outing, Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) tucked in behind Bagnaia, with both Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ riders – Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins – also in tow. Pecco’s lap was a 1:57.191, Marc Marquez set a 1:57.557 as not far behind, Martin hammered home a stunning 1:56.996. A belter.
And on the next lap, the goalposts were moved even further. Bagnaia improved but couldn’t dip into the 1:56s as Martin, astonishingly, set a 1:56.553 to go 0.527s clear of his title rival – outrageous pace from the Championship leader. Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) was P3 after the initial time attacks, 0.813s away from Martin, with Marc Marquez the only other rider to sit within a second of the #89.
But it wasn’t over just yet. Bagnaia’s first split on fresh tyres was 0.113s under Martin’s effort. Bagnaia was still in the red in Sector 2 – 0.045s ahead of Martin’s time. Then through Sector 3, it was up to 0.059s. This was sensational. Would the time hold through Sector 4? You bet it would. Bagnaia responded with an almighty bang as a 1:56.337 was thrown down and now the onus was back on Martin.
A Bastianini crash briefly brought out the yellow flags at the final corner but it wasn’t going to trouble Martin, who was charging. Martin was under a tenth away from Pecco’s time but as the Spaniard clicked through Sector 3, the challenge was over. Martin was 0.2s down, then lost the front coming into Turn 14, so that was all she wrote in a spellbinding qualifying battle between #TheRematch contenders.
THE GRID
While the focus was on the two Championship fighters, Alex Marquez’s 1:57.275 saw last year’s double Malaysian GP podium finisher collect a front row start. Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) spearheads the second row of the grid in P4, with fifth place Marc Marquez the final rider to qualify within a second of Bagnaia. Bastianini’s crash meant ‘The Beast’ was forced to settle for P6 – work to do for the Italian in his victory bid.
Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Quartararo and Rins make up the third row of the grid, with Q2 graduates Binder and Zarco ending Q2 in P10 and P11 respectively, as Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) finished the 15-minute stint in P12.
An unbelievable session in this incredible Championship tale. Q2 delivered, and now we get set for the biggest Tissot Sprint of the season. 17 points spilt Martin and Bagnaia, but what will the figure be at around 15:30 later? We can’t wait to find out.
SATURDAY
TISSOT SPRINT: 15:00 (UTC +8)
SUNDAY
GRAND PRIX: 15:00 (UTC +8)
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