MotoGP | GP Qatar Qualifying: sensational pole for Bagnaia, Rossi is fourth

MotoGP GP Qatar Qualifying – Francesco Bagnaia won the pole position of the Qatar Grand Prix, the opening race of the 2021 MotoGP.

The Ducati rider, who moved to the official team this year, set an amazing 1:52.772 (new track record), a time that allowed him to obtain his first pole in the Top Class.

In the front row with "Pecco" there will be the official Yamahas of Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Vinales, 0.266s and 0.316s behind respectively.

The front row also came close to Valentino Rossi who only saw the third time taken away by Vinales under the checkered flag. However, the "Doctor's" qualification remains an excellent one, and in terms of race pace it's not in a bad place at all. Rossi will have the Ducatis of Jack Miller (Official Team) and Johann Zarco (Ducati Pramac) alongside him.

Franco Morbidelli will open the third row with the seventh fastest time. The Italian-Brazilian rider of Team Yamaha Petronas, who has a gap from the top of just over half a second, beat the excellent Aprilia of Aleix Espargarò and the Suzuki of Alex Rins.

Reigning Suzuki champion Joan Mir was only tenth, having passed through Q1 ahead of the Hondas of Takaaki Nakagami and Pol Espargarò.

Enea Bastianini was the author of a beautiful Q1 and came close to getting into Q2, being beaten at the checkered flag by Nakagami. “Beast” will therefore open the fifth row where we also find the other Ducati rookie Jorge Martin and the KTM of Miguel Oliveira.

Sixth row for Alex Marquez, Stefan Bradl and rookie Luca Marini; seventh row for the KTMs of Brad Binder and Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona, while Luca Savadori with the Aprilia closes the field.