Martin decimates Sepang lap record to score pole as title contenders struggle

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Jorge Martin, Malaysian MotoGP, 21 October 2022 // Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202210210083 // Usage for editorial use only //

Jorge Martin destroyed the Sepang International Circuit MotoGP lap record to secure a second successive pole position, while all three contenders will start ninth or lower.

The Pramac Ducati rider came out swinging as soon as the pole shootout got underway by posting a new two-wheeled lap record of the Malaysian venue – a 1:58.021s – to sit 0.225s clear of Gresini Ducati man Enea Bastianini, with Francesco Bagnaia ending up as best of the title men in sixth despite having to use a used tyre as a result of having to contest Q1.

The factory Ducati racer looked on to lap underneath Martin’s benchmark after bolting in a fresh set of rubber, though disaster struck at Turn 4 after he lost the front of his Desmosedici on entry to the bend – seeing him end his session in the gravel with a best possible starting spot of sixth.

This left the door wide open for Martin to seal a fourth pole of 2022, the 2018 Moto3 world champion leaving nothing to chance as he further lowered the new lap record to a stunning 1:57.790s with his final lap despite losing around a tenth-of-a-second at the final turn.

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It would again be Bastianini who got closest to usurping Martin, though the Gresini man ended up a distant 0.456s adrift, while Marc Marquez impressed for Honda to complete the front a couple of tenths further back despite having had to escape Q1.

Marco Bezzecchi was the highest-placed rookie in fourth for VR46 Ducati ahead of Australian Grand Prix victor Alex Rins for Suzuki, with the sister VR46 machine of Luca Marini grabbing sixth.

Franco Morbidelli enjoyed one of his strongest performances in some time to nab seventh on his Yamaha, though will have to serve a double long-lap punishment in the race as a result of multiple blocking offences during practice.

Maverick Vinales was eighth for Aprilia ahead of Bagnaia who was eventually shuffled back to ninth, though crucially still ahead of his two closest championship challengers after they also struggled – Aleix Espargaro completing the top ten having crashed while set to move much further up.

Joan Mir ended up 11^th on the other Suzuki while Fabio Quartararo completed the pole shootout runners in a lowly 12^th, with an error on his final tour and a tough opening run leaving him with work to do once again on Sunday.

Brad Binder was best of the non-Q2 pushers in 13^th for KTM having just missed out on the final graduation berth to Marquez in Q1, the South African at least nudging clear of Jack Miller who will take the start of the Malaysian GP from 14^th after suffering a nasty high-side at Turn 2 at the end of the opening session.

Cal Crutchlow will start 15^th for the RNF Yamaha squad, while Johann Zarco was another to struggle as he managed a lowly 18^th on his Pramac-prepared Desmosedici just clear of the other KTM of Miguel Oliveira.

It was a tricky day for LCR Honda after Alex Marquez was able to capture just 21^st on the grid, with stand-in team-mate Tetsuta Nagashima taking 23^rd just ahead of the other RNF-run M1 of Darryn Binder who completes the field.

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