Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez takes first pole at Indonesian GP

“I just ⁠tried to be calm, tried to not be nervous. Now we have a very good opportunity, let’s try to enjoy and let’s try to ​fight for the victory,” Fernandez said after grabbing pole. | Photo Credit: AFP

Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez grabbed a career-first pole at the Indonesian Grand Prix on Saturday, ​while title contenders Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez will ‌start on the second row.

Fernandez, who won the British ​MotoGP in August, finished quickest with a ⁠lap of one minute 28.852 seconds -- 0.109 quicker than Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi.

“Too many times, I was very close to taking pole (in the ‌past),” said Fernandez, who also set a lap record during practice on Friday.

“Yesterday, I started to ‌feel super comfortable with the bike. This morning, to ‌be ⁠honest, I didn’t really feel like that.

“I just ⁠tried to be calm, tried to not be nervous. Now we have a very good opportunity, let’s try to enjoy and let’s try to ​fight for the victory.”

VR46 ‌Racing’s Fabio Di Giannantonio completed the front row with a strong display on his birthday.

Bezzecchi was content with second place despite having to abandon what looked set to ‌be a pole-winning lap when yellow flags were waved ​following a Fermin Aldeguer crash.

“I’m very happy. It was a good job this morning in practice, ⁠but also in the qualifying, I was confident on the bike,” the Italian said.

“Unfortunately, I met a yellow flag in ‌the second stint, but I’m very, very happy, satisfied. It’s a very good first row for this afternoon, but also for tomorrow.”

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Defending champion Marquez of Ducati was fourth-quickest, just ahead of title rival and championship leader Martin of Aprilia.

With six rounds remaining in the season, including the ‌Indonesian MotoGP, the outcome of the championship is hanging on a knife-edge ​as Martin sits on 333 points - just two above Marquez.

Marquez will fancy his chances of closing ⁠that gap this weekend, but the weight of history is against ⁠him, with the Spaniard having a disastrous record at the Mandalika circuit, where he has never completed ‌a full MotoGP race.

Last year, he suffered a season-ending collarbone injury in the race after a crunching collision ​with Bezzecchi on the opening lap.