Pedro Acosta claimed his maiden MotoGP pole position in a dramatic qualifying session at Motegi, where changing conditions shook up the grid.
Raindrops started to fall, and it looked like Marc Marquez had made history by setting the first sub-1m 42s lap at the Japanese circuit. However, his joy was short-lived as his lap was disqualified for exceeding track limits, dropping the Gresini rider to ninth. This promoted Acosta to pole, a breakthrough moment for the rookie.
Meanwhile, title leader Jorge Martin suffered a setback with a crash, forcing him to start from 11th. Francesco Bagnaia, who struggled in his opening run, managed a strong recovery and secured second place on the grid.
The Italian will be eager to close the 21-point gap to Martin in the championship battle, with heavier rain expected later for the Sprint. Aprilia’s Maverick Viñales completes the front row, putting in a solid performance despite the tricky conditions he usually struglles in.
