Today Marc Marquez qualified on the MotoGP front row for the Red Bull Grand Prix of Spain, in a hard-fought and very close session.

Marquez and his team worked hard to find the best setup for the Andalusian track, trying some modifications even after FP4. The changes proved positive and allowed the Repsol Honda man to fight for pole and eventually set the third-fastest time, just over one and a half tenths from the top.

In FP3 Dani Pedrosa improved his pace from yesterday setting the fifth-fastest time, and although he placed seventh in qualifying, his lap time was just 98 thousandths of a second off the fourth-best lap time.

Exactly 55 years ago Tom Phillips gave Honda its first-ever Grand Prix victory at the opening race of the 1961 125cc World Championship, at Barcelona’s Montjuïc Park.

Tomorrow’s race will start at 2:00 p.m. local time.


Marc Marquez - 3rd 1'38.891

“I’m satisfied because before the qualifying session, we knew it would be difficult to get pole position, and the goal was to achieve a place on the front row. I think we did a great job; I rode well and I felt comfortable on the bike. Thanks to the work of the whole team, we tested three different setups that ultimately allowed me to be consistent in qualifying, which isn't usually something I’m able to do. All I can say is that today Jorge [Lorenzo] and Valentino [Rossi] were faster than me. We’ll see if we can stay with them during the race tomorrow, because it seems that they have a very good pace.”

Dani Pedrosa - 7th 1'39.678

“Seventh isn’t the result I was expecting. I thought I could do better but it’s currently difficult for me to make a flying lap in qualifying. I did try my best so I can’t say more now; it went as it went. In the end, I’m just one tenth off a much better position in the grid, and tomorrow we have to focus on starting well and getting a good first lap. It’s true that today we were able to keep a better pace generally speaking, which is positive, but we have to keep our feet on the ground and stay focused. We still have a lot of work to do on the bike. We’ll see what happens in the race. I think that the rear-tyre choice will be very important.”