P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Pecco Bagnaia snatches pole from Marc Marquez in tight French MotoGP qualifying
Pecco Bagnaia claimed the first pole position of the 2026 MotoGP season, narrowly beating Ducati team-mate Marc Marquez by a mere 0.012s at the French Grand Prix. Bagnaia’s strong performance throughout the weekend showcased his enhanced confidence on the Ducati GP26 following recent testing. With a time of 1m29.634s, Bagnaia secured his first pole since the 2025 Malaysian Grand Prix, leading a closely contested front row. Marquez, despite setting a new lap record in Q1, missed out on pole by the narrowest of margins. Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi completed the top three, with only 0.023s separating the front row riders. The qualifying session saw intense competition, with several riders challenging for the top spot, setting the stage for an exciting race at the French Grand Prix.
