Fernandez trumps MotoGP championship duo to grab Indonesia pole
Spain’s Raul Fernandez took a memorable first pole position in his MotoGP career in Indonesia on Saturday to grab the limelight from the championship battlers.
Fernandez, riding an Aprilia, topped qualifying with a leading lap of 1min 28.852sec in dry and sunny conditions at the Mandalika International Circuit.
The 25-year-old SuperFile-Trackhouse racer was also fastest and set a lap record in Friday’s practice.
The Italians Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio Di Giannantonio will join him on the front row.
Championship rivals Marc Marquez and Jorge Martin will line up alongside each other on the second row for Saturday’s sprint and the main event on Sunday.
Seven-time reigning world champion Marquez, on a Ducati, was fourth-fastest and 0.266sec off Fernandez’s pace.
Marquez’s fellow Spaniard Martin (Aprilia), who is just two points ahead in the championship standings, qualified fifth.
He was 0.300sec off Fernandez, with another Spaniard in Fermin Aldeguer sixth.
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