Aragon MotoGP, Qualifying: Marc Marquez takes pole as Bastianini misses Q2

Marc Marquez secured his second pole position of 2024 in qualifying for the Aragon MotoGP, finishing almost a second clear of Pedro Acosta.

Acosta, having come through Q1, had one of his strongest qualifying sessions of the season in second place, and Francesco Bagnaia was just 0.002 seconds further back in third place.

But no one was anywhere near Marquez, who was the only rider in the 1:46s, and ended Q2 0.840 seconds ahead of Acosta. 

Behind the Gresini Ducati rider, things were tighter. Acosta, Bagnaia, and Jorge Martin were all separated by only 0.036 seconds, Martin taking fourth place after crashing at turn four on his first lap.

Joining Martin on row two are Alex Marquez and Franco Morbidelli, while Brad Binder, having come through Q1 with Acosta, heads up row three in seventh.

Aprilia had a disastrous session. Miguel Oliveira was the fastest of the four in eighth, 1.784 seconds off pole, and the only RS-GP rider within two seconds of Marquez. Raul Fernandez was just under 0.4 seconds back of his Trackhouse teammate in ninth.

The two factory Aprilias were even worse than the satellite riders, with Maverick Vinales 12th, 3.760 seconds off pole, and Aleix Espargaro only one place better in 11th, 2.941 seconds behind Marquez' best. Even LCR Honda's Johann Zarco was better than the factory RS-GPs, 10th and 2.314 seconds behind pole.

The major casualty of Q1 was Enea Bastianini, who lost multiple laps to mistakes at the downhill turn nine. He qualified 15th.