Styrian MotoGP Qualifying Results | Rookie Jorge Martin storms to record pole

Jorge Martin has clinched the second pole position of his burgeoning MotoGP career with a superb lap record-breaking effort in qualifying for the Styrian MotoGP.

Around a circuit that has seen Ducati largely dominate over the years with five wins from six events held at the Red Bull Ring, it was nonetheless a surprise to see it was rookie Martin to come out on top.

The Spaniard is regarded as something of a one-lap specialist having now accumulated 23 pole positions in grand prix racing, while this is his second MotoGP top spot after achieving the feat first in Doha in April.

He did have some fortune fall his way after Fabio Quartararo looked as though he’d undercut the Pramac Racing rider, only to have his time deleted for track limit violations.

As such, the championship leader will get underway from the front row in third place, alongside one of his closest rivals Pecco Bagnaia, who ensured a Ducati 1-2 in second. Moreover, with Jack Miller getting underway from fourth, Ducati heads into Sunday’s race in a very strong position to continue its form at the Austrian venue.

Making good use of the new ride-height device on his Suzuki, Joan Mir was a strong fifth on the grid to give him a good shot at race glory, the Spaniard sharing the second row with Johann Zarco, who made it four Ducatis in the top six.

Aleix Espargaro will start seventh on the Aprilia RS-GP, ahead of Marc Marquez, who scuppered his - and several rivals’ - best lap(s) with a late low-side at the Turn 3 hairpin.

Maverick Vinales will get underway from ninth, ahead of Takaaki Nakagami, plus Alex Marquez and a battered and bruised Miguel Oliveira, the latter two riders 11th and 12th after making it through from Q1.

Elsewhere, Alex Rins will start 13th, just ahead of MotoGP returnee Dani Pedrosa, who couldn’t quite get past Q1 but starts ahead of KTM team-mate Brad Binder in 16th. MotoGP returnee Cal Crutchlow meanwhile starts 23rd and last for his first race of 2021.

2021 Styria MotoGP | Red Bull Ring | QUALIFYING Results