Jorge Martin Shatters Lap Record to Claim Pole at Sachsenring

Jorge Martin of Pramac Racing broke the lap record at Sachsenring to secure pole position for the German Grand Prix. Despite title rival Francesco Bagnaia being slowed by yellow flags, Martin clocked 1:19.423. Nine riders finished under 1:20 in a historic qualifying session.

Jorge Martin, the current leader in the MotoGP championship, shattered the lap record at Sachsenring on Saturday, securing pole position for the German Grand Prix. Martin's 1:19.423 lap time was marginally faster than Miguel Oliveira's, with teammate Raul Fernandez completing the front row.

Despite a challenging season with only six top-10 finishes, Trackhouse Racing showed notable improvement. Martin, set to join the Aprilia factory team next season, expressed confidence despite his self-described imperfect lap. 'I feel really good, I feel confident. I didn't expect pole position, my lap wasn't fantastic,' he stated, underscoring Aprilia's strength.

The previous record, held by Johann Zarco at 1:21.225, was eclipsed as nine riders clocked sub-1:20 times. Title rival Francesco Bagnaia was impeded by yellow flags following crashes by Maverick Vinales and Alex Marquez, placing him fourth. Bagnaia, the reigning champion, trails Martin by 10 points and has a chance to close the gap during Saturday's sprint.

Marc Marquez of Gresini Racing faced difficulties, fracturing his finger and bruising his ribs in a Friday crash. His final qualifying effort was thwarted by traffic, leading to frustration after being blocked by Stefan Bradl, who later apologized.

(With inputs from agencies.)