Qatar 2022 MotoGP: Jorge Martin Takes Pole Position, Marc Marquez Starts From The Third Grid

Pramac Ducati team rider Jorge Martin who will start from the front grid in the Qatar 2022 MotoGP event at the Losail Circuit, Sunday evening. (Photo: MotoGP.com)

JAKARTA - Pramac Ducati team rider Jorge Martin claimed pole position for the opening race of the 2022 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix in Doha on Saturday evening local time, ahead of Enea Bastianini and Marc Marquez who completed the front row.

Martin, who also took pole position in the second race in Doha last season, was fastest in Saturday's qualifying with a record of one minute 53.011 seconds, according to the official MotoGP website.

Bastianini from the Gresini Racing team dedicates a 1-2 starting position to Ducati and the Italian will start from the front row for the first time in his second year in the premier class.

Marquez had scored the best lap benchmark after taking advantage of the slipstream behind Joan Mir and Francesco Bagnaia before the two Ducati riders shot at the top of the record time.

Meanwhile, last year's world champion Fabio Quartararo, who complained about Yamaha's top speed, had to be disappointed again as he only managed to secure a starting 11th position, more than half a second from Martin's record.

"It feels good in pole position but I'm not 100 percent happy because we still have a lot to improve to find a race pace," Martin said as quoted by Reuters.

"I'm happy with my performance and this great lap, but tomorrow from pole we will try to keep the tires and understand how the race is going."

Jack Miller is another Ducati representative in P4 while team-mate Bagnaia, last season's championship runner-up, will start the attack from P9 as the two factory Ducati riders try to find the right setup for their new GP22 bike.

Miller will be accompanied by Aleix Espargaro of the Aprilia team and Pol Espargaro of the Repsol Honda team in the second row.

Meanwhile, Brad Binder will park his KTM motorbike at P7, in front of the 2020 MotoGP world champion Joan Mir from the Suzuki team.