MotoGP News: Bezzecchi Secures Pole in Dramatic Portimão Qualifying Thriller

In a nail-biting qualifying session for the 2025 Portimão MotoGP, Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi, KTM’s Pedro Acosta, and Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo clinched the front row under blazing sunshine, while navigating lingering damp patches from overnight rain.

Friday’s pace-setter, Alex Márquez, appeared destined for pole as he led into the final runs. But Bezzecchi shattered that notion with a blistering lap half a second quicker, igniting wild celebrations in the Aprilia garage. The drama intensified as Acosta and LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco surged forward, bumping Márquez from the front row.

Márquez fought back valiantly, only to be edged out by Quartararo before a high-speed crash at Turn 1 dashed his hopes. Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia timed his charge perfectly, snaring fourth place—and top honors for the Italian marque—on his last lap, setting him up on row two alongside Márquez and Zarco.

Earlier, Yamaha duo Quartararo and Jack Miller dominated Q1 to advance to the pole shootout, denying closest challengers Luca Marini and Brad Binder a shot at glory.

Ducati’s highly touted rookie Nicolò Bulega tantalizingly close to a Q2 berth in the dying moments, only to veer off into the gravel trap. He’ll make his MotoGP bow from a challenging 18th on the grid.

Trackhouse Aprilia’s Raúl Fernández, sidelined by a partial shoulder dislocation from Friday’s practice, sat out qualifying and has pulled out of the rest of the weekend.

The 12-lap Sprint race kicks off at 3 p.m. local time, promising more chaos on the Algarve circuit.

Qualifying Results