MotoGP Portugal Portimao Qualifying: Marc Marquez (Honda/1) surprises the boss

This very unexpected – including at Honda – pole position for Marc Marquez at the first Grand Prix of the season, which is that of Portugal, shows that we continue to go from surprise to surprise on the Portimao track. They are as good as they are bad, which captures attention, to the great satisfaction of the promoter who wanted a spectacle. And with the eight-time World Champion in pole position on an RC213V far from this level, both for this afternoon's Sprint and for Sunday's race, we are still far from having seen everything...

We had Jack Miller on Friday and here it is Marc Marquez who stood out this Saturday morning. The lightning struck from 93 first impacted the Q1 with a best time synonymous with a track record still broken. Then the thunder came at the end of the Q2, with this resounding pole position just as enhanced by a new best time of all time in the Algarve…

**Marc Marquez: “ you have to stay focused because the day does not end there, this afternoon will be the important onet "**

A real performance encouraged by the wake ofEnea Bastianini on Ducati official... Marc Marquez knows how to choose his prey to hurt his opponent... With a time of 1'37.226, the spearhead Honda pushed back by 0,064 seconds Pecco Bagnaia... " I can't explain this trick because I don't understand it myself », Commented the eight-time world champion with a smile.

« It's true that we need the aspiration to do a very fast lap with the Honda at the moment. This is not the best or most polite way to do a lap time, but it's one of my strengths, and it's not easy to follow a pilot either ". And he concludes: “ you have to stay focused because the day does not end there, this afternoon will be the important one ».

The first row is completed by the Pramac-Ducati ace George Martin, while the local hero Miguel Oliveira points to fourth place as best driver Aprilia, leaving Miller and his KTM behind. It will be recalled that fabio quartararo is in 11th place, behind Johann zarco and that'Aleix Espargaro is in 12th position. The Aprilia factory rider crashed at Turn 13 on his first attempt in Q2.