> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.the-race.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Martin upsets Marquez to score surprise Motegi pole - URL: https://www.the-race.com/motogp/martin-upsets-marquez-to-score-surprise-motegi-pole/ - Published: 2026-10-03T02:48:32.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-03T02:48:32.000Z - Description: MotoGP championship leader Jorge Martin sniped Motegi pole position from title rival Marc Marquez after a substantial turnaround from Friday practice - Author: Valentin Khorounzhiy - Tags: MotoGP, #jorge-martin, #aprilia, #japanese-grand-prix, #secondary_feature_1 MotoGP championship leader Jorge Martin sniped Motegi pole position from title rival Marc Marquez after a substantial turnaround from Friday practice. Martin, who was only eighth-fastest on Friday, maximised the final sector on his second Q2 run to jump ahead of Marquez by a tenth, securing the new Motegi pole record in the process. Marquez had held provisional Japanese Grand Prix pole after the opening runs, but couldn't improve on his second Q2 outing - which included a trip into the gravel at Turn 3. Third title contender Marco Bezzecchi took a front-row spot for the briefest of moments in the end, before surrendering it right away to Pedro Acosta, who had used Bezzecchi as reference. Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati) completed a top five covered by just 0.175s, ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati), Enea Bastianini (Tech3 KTM), and Q1 graduate Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia). LCR team-mates Diogo Moreira and Johann Zarco were next up, Zarco crashing in Q2, while Ai Ogura - who, like team-mate Fernandez, advanced from Q1 - and Fabio Quartararo rounded out the Q2 order. Yellow flags triggered by a fast Brad Binder crash entering the Turns 12-13-14 sequence nearly compromised Fernandez in Q1 and nearly put defending Motegi winner Pecco Bagnaia through into Q2 instead - but Fernandez had enough time to go again and consign Bagnaia to fifth row on the grid. Joining him on that row will be Ducati stablemate Franco Morbidelli and Q1 standout Somkiat Chantra. Chantra, riding as Joan Mir's substitute rider at the factory Honda team, produced a better qualifying result than any of his efforts in his full-time season in 2025 - and outqualified team-mate Luca Marini in the process. It was a disappointing run to 18th on the grid for Fermin Aldeguer, as he outqualified only the returning Maverick Vinales and three Yamahas. Qualifying results 1 Jorge Martin (Aprilia) 1m42.371s 2 Marc Marquez (Ducati) +0.110s 3 Pedro Acosta (KTM) +0.122s 4 Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) +0.159s 5 Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati) +0.175s 6 Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati) +0.257s 7 Enea Bastianini (Tech3 KTM) +0.298s 8 Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) +0.370s 9 Diogo Moreira (LCR Honda) +0.545s 10 Johann Zarco (LCR Honda) +0.547s 11 Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia) +0.562s 12 Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) +0.751s \--- 13 Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati) +0.123s to Q2 14 Franco Morbidelli (VR46 Ducati) +0.252s 15 Somkiat Chantra (Honda) +0.312s 16 Luca Marini (Honda) +0.394s 17 Brad Binder (KTM) +0.515s 18 Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini Ducati) +0.535s 19 Maverick Vinales (Tech3 KTM) +0.721s 20 Jack Miller (Pramac Yamaha) +0.927s 21 Alex Rins (Yamaha) +1.012s 22 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pramac Yamaha) +1.147s