Martín snatches Silverstone pole as Aprilia lock out front row
by Jack Fairman
Jorge Martín left it until the final flying lap of Q2 to claim pole position for the British Grand Prix as Aprilia locked out the front row at Silverstone.
The reigning world champion's lap of 1:56.160 was enough to edge Raúl Fernández by just 0.021 seconds, while Ai Ogura completed an all-Aprilia top three. Marco Bezzecchi, who had briefly held provisional pole, eventually finished fifth as four Aprilias ended qualifying inside the top five.
Bezzecchi looked a genuine contender for pole after setting a 1:56.456 during the closing stages of the session, but Fernández responded before Martín produced the lap that mattered most on his final attempt. Still recovering from the collarbone injury sustained at the Sachsenring, the Italian nevertheless remains well placed for the Sprint and Sunday's Grand Prix, where race pace, tyre management and physical endurance are likely to count for as much as outright one-lap speed.
Fabio Di Giannantonio was the only rider to break up the Aprilia contingent, taking fourth ahead of Bezzecchi. Marc Márquez and Álex Márquez completed the second row.
Earlier, Q1 produced one of the day's biggest surprises as factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia failed to progress. Franco Morbidelli and stand-in Iker Lecuona claimed the two available places in Q2, leaving Bagnaia to line up 16th on the grid for both the Sprint and Sunday's Grand Prix.
Pedro Acosta qualified ninth ahead of Lecuona, Jack Miller and Joan Mir, while Fabio Quartararo missed out on Q2 and will start 13th.
Aprilia head into Saturday afternoon's Sprint with pole position, the entire front row and four bikes inside the top five, underlining the manufacturer's pace around Silverstone.
