MARTIN TAKES POLE AGAIN IN AUSTRIA

Jorge Martin has continued his hot streak of form in Austria, setting yet another new lap record to clinch pole position at the Red Bull Ring.

It was the second consecutive pole for the Pramac Ducati rider.

Fresh off a breakthrough win in the Styrian Grand Prix, last weekend Martin began Saturday by missing out on an automatic Q2 spot and crashing in practice 4.

The Spaniard quickly redeemed himself however, performing under pressure to advance through the first qualifying session.

Martin stepped it up a level in Q2, stealing his teammate Johann Zarco’s lap record set on Friday with a 1m 22.643s.

The crucial time was set in the final moments of Q2, robbing Fabio Quartararo of the top spot.

Quartararo held a lap record of his own for just minutes, the best qualifier of 2021 setting a 1m 22.677s thanks to a scorching third sector.

Francesco Bagnaia was the second quickest Ducati driver, qualifying third overall with a 1m 23.063s.

Martin’s Pramac teammate Zarco qualified fourth after a standout practice day in Spielberg, 0.477s off pole.

Eight-time Motorcycle World champion Marc Marquez set the fifth fastest time, while Aussie Jack Miller on the factory Ducati will look to atone from last week’s race crash from sixth on the grid.

Reigning champion Joan Mir will start from seventh after setting a 1m 23.378s on his Suzuki, just ahead of Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro.

An injured Miguel Oliveira managed to progress from Q1 to achieve position eight on the grid, battling through a right-hand issue to post a 1m 23.423s.

His Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Brad Binder was right behind, completing the top 10.

Pol Espargaro and Takaaki Nakagami rounded out the Q2 field in 11th and 12th on their Honda machines.

Alex Rins was the unlucky rider to just miss out on a spot in Q2, qualifying 13th for the second week in succession, with a 1m 23.470s.

Alex Marquez will start from 14th, followed by Enea Bastianini and Iker Lecuona.

Luca Marini won the qualifying battle over his half-brother Valentino Rossi, beating out the retirement bound Italian by 0.105s.

Danilo Petrucci and replacement rider Cal Crutchlow will occupy the final two spots on the grid.

The Austrian Grand Prix commences at 10.00pm AEST and can be seen live on Fox Sports and Network 10.

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