Alex Marquez clocks flying lap to pip brother Marc to Sepang pole

SEPANG: Brothers Alex and Marc Marquez secured a 1-2 start at Sepang after topping MotoGP qualifying at the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia today.

Alex (BK8 Gresini Racing) clocked one minute and 56.493 seconds to secure his first pole position since last year's Catalan GP.

Marc (Ducati Lenovo) was a close second, just 0.070s adrift, while Red Bull KTM's Pedro Acosta (+0.084s) rounded out the front row.

Alex said he was surprised to be as fast as he was today.

"I really was not expecting this. The first time attack was really good and then I pushed again, and could not believe it when I saw the time," said Alex.

"Everything was working really well. We have to keep working like this for the remainder of the weekend."

SuperFile Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura (+0.124s), Aprilia Racing's Marco Bezzecchi (+0.175s) and Pertamina Enduro VR46's Fabio Di Giannantonio (+0.349s) filled the second row.

It was, however, the end of the road for injured Jorge Martin.

Aprilia Racing confirmed that Martin, who has a fractured wrist, had been withdrawn from the remainder of the Malaysian GP.