Italian rider Luca Marini earns pole position and sets a new track record at Mandalika
Italian Lucas Marini on a Ducati Desmosedici GP22 achieved his first pole position and set a new absolute record at the Mandalika circuit during MotoGP practice and qualifying sessions in Indonesia. Spaniard Jorge Martín and Italian Francesco Bagnaia, both riding Desmosedici GP23 bikes, faced setbacks in their attempts to secure top grid positions. Bagnaia failed in the initial classification and did not advance in the second, with his rhythm disrupted by his own teammate Enea Bastianini. Martín could not capitalize on the moment and finished sixth in the final standings, a result that included a setback in the classification.
The opening session carried particular significance for the world championship leader, Francesco Bagnaia, who rides the Desmosedici GP23. His aim was to push into the second classification and prevent a potential derailment in the Indonesian race. Bagnaia briefly led after the first time attack among the top two, but his position was overtaken by French rider Johann Zarco, who clocked 30.713 seconds and moved ahead by a narrow margin. Morbidelli followed closely in second, while Bagnaia kept a steady watch on rival Joan Mir who was on track aboard a Honda RC 213V. The race lead was held by Jorge Martín, who loomed as a distant challenger for the world title and a possible move to the Australia round. The championship remained watched closely as the main contenders battled for every possible advantage.
In the second on track session the pattern repeated itself as Bagnaia continued to struggle to enter the second classification, with Mir remaining a steady obstacle. Bagnaia faced a crash before securing a time that would lock him into a top group, but soon after he managed to move back into the lead. He was eventually displaced by Luca Marini who finished the session just 0.243 seconds faster than Bagnaia, revealing a fresh surprise in the battle for pole. The session then shifted as Bastianini, Bagnaia’s teammate, finished ahead of Bagnaia by just 0.099 seconds, leaving Bagnaia in a challenging position for pole while maintaining a strong competitive field behind him.
With Bagnaia out of pole influence, Martín saw a clear path to making a strong statement for the championship. The departure of Bagnaia from the second classification opened a window to build a notable advantage over rivals and push the season standings forward. On track, Marco Bezzecchi crashed during his run, failing to set a reference time and ending the chance to make a bold statement. Shortly after, Jorge Martín himself encountered a fall as he pushed to maximize his lap time under mounting pressure. He returned to the pits to try again with the second bike and fresh tyres, while Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales, both on Aprilia machinery, posted faster times around the circuit. Martín attempted a late improvement but finished in the upper part of the field with a time near 1 minute 30 seconds, leaving him in a position to chase the podium in the main race.
Aleix Espargaró set a circuit record with a 1 minute 30.303 second lap in the early phase, but Maverick Viñales then surpassed that with a 1 minute 30.009. Luca Marini then posted a time of 1 minute 29.978, becoming the only rider to claim a lap under 1 minute 30 seconds in this session. Viñales joined Marini at the front as the session concluded, with Martin, Mir, and Martin making up the top competitors in the final stages of the session. Other riders including Fabio Quartararo and Brad Binder were also in contention for the front rows as the session closed, while Martin managed to finish near the fastest times and aimed to convert this into a strong qualifying result in Indonesia.
In the final part of the classification, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marc Márquez took the stage with solid performances, while Bezzecchi secured third place alongside Jack Miller and Enea Bastianini. Miguel Oliveira also featured prominently with a strong performance on the Aprilia RS-GP. The field remained tightly packed, and the grid was determined by narrow margins as the riders prepared for the main race. The Indonesian round remained pivotal in shaping the championship battle as the season moved forward, with several title contenders looking to gain advantage and set up a dramatic fight for the title.