Marco Bezzecchi secured pole position at the San Marino Grand Prix on Saturday by breaking the all-time lap record at his home circuit in Misano. Riding for Aprilia, Bezzecchi became the first rider to complete a lap in under 1:30, setting a new benchmark with a time of 1:29.982.

The Italian rider described his qualifying session as challenging, noting disruptions from multiple yellow flags that made maintaining concentration difficult. Bezzecchi said he opted to remain on the track one lap longer during the first stint to post a competitive time, which ultimately became his fastest. A later attempt at a clean lap in a second stint was unsuccessful due to traffic on the track.

Bezzecchi raised his hand to signal after being reportedly impeded by LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco, an incident currently under investigation by the race stewards.

Joining Bezzecchi on the front row are Ducati’s Marc Marquez and Gresini Racing’s Fermin Aldeguer. Marquez made several attempts late in the session to improve his lap time but pulled out of both flying laps after pushing beyond the limits in the fast corners. He acknowledged that while his race pace from the previous year was slightly stronger, Bezzecchi appeared to be exceptionally quick, particularly in the fast sections of the track.

Marquez said his primary goal was securing a front-row start, which he achieved despite falling short of pole position. After seeing Bezzecchi’s record time, Marquez recognized the limit of his own performance and concentrated on maximizing his effort within those boundaries.

With the grid set, the San Marino Grand Prix promises a competitive race as Bezzecchi aims to convert his record-breaking qualifying performance into a strong showing on home soil.