SPIELBERG: Jorge Martin grabbed pole position for the Styrian Grand Prix in a frantic finish to qualifying on Saturday.

Championship leader Fabio Quartararo crossed with a faster time at the end of the session, but his lap was scrubbed out because he exceeded track limits, while six-time world champion Marc Marquez, pushing hard, crashed on his final lap.

Martin, a Spaniard who rides for Ducati satellite team Pramac, grabbed his second career pole position in one min 22.94 seconds, a new lap record at the Red Bull Ring.

Francesco Bagnaia, an Italian who rides for the Ducati factory team was second, 0.044sec slower. Frenchman Quartararo completed the front row on his Yamaha.

There were two more Ducatis on the second row on the fastest track on the MotoGP calendar.

Australian Jack Miller was fourth on a factory bike with Frenchman Johann Zarco sixth on a Ducati Pramac. World champion Joan Mir was sandwiched between them on a Suzuki.

Marc Marquez of Honda was eighth, and will start between two of his Spanish compatriots, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) and Maverick Vinales (Yamaha) on the third row.

Oliveira, who hurt a hand in a crash on Friday, was 12th.

Valentino Rossi on a Yamaha-SRT, who announced on Thursday that he will retire at the end of 2021, was 17th.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2021