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Bagnaia Takes Le Mans Pole by 0.065s as Marquez Vaults from Q1 to P2

The result highlights a compressed Le Mans weekend shaped by aero tests, possible rain, plus Aprilia’s points edge.

Overview

  • Bagnaia claimed his first pole of 2026 on Saturday, edging championship leader Marco Bezzecchi by 0.023s as Marc Marquez qualified second after advancing through Q1.
  • Stewards briefly reviewed whether Bagnaia impeded Fabio Di Giannantonio late in Q2 and then cleared him.
  • Marquez set a new Le Mans lap record in Q1 after a rough Friday that left him outside the top 10 in a session where less than three tenths covered the leading group.
  • A late Friday crash led Bagnaia to say he destroyed the new Ducati fairing he was testing, raising a spares question as teams balance aero choices with rain in the forecast.
  • Saturday’s FP2 showed how tight the field remains as home rider Fabio Quartararo topped the times from Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio, while Aprilia continue to set the championship pace.