Pedro Acosta secured pole position at the Catalan Grand Prix on Sunday, ending a 588-day wait since his last MotoGP front-row start. The 21-year-old Spanish rider, representing KTM, posted a fastest lap time of 1 minute, 38.068 seconds, marking his second career MotoGP pole and his first since the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix.

Acosta’s performance provided a strong boost for the home crowd, as he demonstrated commanding pace under favorable track conditions. “I'm super happy. It looks like the bike is matching quite nicely with the conditions and with the track. It’s true that there are still many things to check,” Acosta said following qualifying.

Joining Acosta on the front row were Franco Morbidelli of VR46 Racing and Alex Marquez from Gresini Racing. The second row will be occupied by Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse, Johann Zarco of LCR Honda, and Fabio Di Giannantonio, also from VR46 Racing.

The qualifying session, however, was challenging for title contenders Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, both riding for Aprilia. Both riders crashed during qualifying, complicating their prospects after a strong showing at the previous race.

Aprilia had arrived in Catalonia looking to build upon the momentum gained from a podium sweep at the French Grand Prix the prior weekend. Instead, the team faced a difficult qualifying day that shifted focus toward damage control ahead of the race.

The Catalan Grand Prix continues to be a closely contested event this season, with Acosta’s pole adding new dynamics as the championship progresses.