Francesco Bagnaia, the two-time MotoGP champion riding for Ducati, shattered the lap record during qualifying at the Dutch Motorcycle Grand Prix, securing his first pole position of the season. The 27-year-old Italian dominated the TT Circuit Assen with a blistering lap time of 1:30.540, surpassing championship leader Jorge Martin's previous record of 1:30.877 set just moments earlier in Q2. Martin, from Prima Pramac Racing, settled for second place, while Maverick Vinales of Aprilia Racing completed the front row.
Reflecting on his achievement, Bagnaia expressed his satisfaction with finally clinching pole position after coming close in recent races. He acknowledged the challenge ahead in converting pole into a race lead amidst tough competition but remained optimistic and thrilled to perform in front of the enthusiastic crowd at Assen.
Martin, holding an 18-point advantage over Bagnaia in the championship standings, remained focused on his own performance despite narrowly missing out on pole position. He anticipated a high-speed race pace set by Bagnaia but affirmed readiness to respond to any challenge posed during the sprint.
Meanwhile, six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez faced a setback after crashing during qualifying, relegating him to a seventh-place start for Sunday's race. His recovery strategy will be crucial as he aims to regain ground in the championship battle following this setback.
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