Aprilia's Martin beats title rival Marquez to Austrian MotoGP pole

Aprilia rider Jorge Martin set a statement lap to take pole position for Sunday’s Austrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. The 28-year-old Spaniard, already the 2024 MotoGP champion, recorded a 1:27.917 in the closing minutes of Q2, edging Ducati’s Marc Marquez by just 0.015 seconds. Martin earned his third pole of the season. He will start alongside Marquez on the front row, with KTM’s Pedro Acosta completing it. Marquez, who won a chaotic San Marino GP last weekend to move level with Martin on 274 points, said conditions between new and used tyres and the sprint-race format will matter. Marco Bezzecchi qualified fourth, Ai Ogura fifth.