Spanish rookie Pedro Acosta claimed his maiden MotoGP pole position for the Japan MotoGP, setting a fast lap of 1:43.018 at Motegi. Acosta, riding for GasGas, finished 0.246 seconds ahead of defending world champion Francesco Bagnaia. Meanwhile, Pramac rider and championship leader Jorge Martin had a tough qualifying session, crashing out and finishing 11th.
Martin, who leads Bagnaia by 21 points in the championship with five races remaining, suffered a slide-off during intermittent rain. His title rival, Bagnaia, made a late surge in the session after struggling initially, placing second. Spain’s Maverick Vinales completed the top three, 0.423 seconds behind Acosta.
Six-time world champion Marc Marquez briefly thought he had broken the track record with a 1:42.868 lap but was penalized for exceeding track limits, relegating him to ninth. Acosta, at just 20 years old, became the third-youngest rider to take pole in MotoGP, adding excitement to the two-way championship battle between Martin and Bagnaia.
