Marquez Secures Pole with Record Lap at Hungarian MotoGP

Marc Marquez of Ducati dominated the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying by smashing the Balaton Park Circuit lap record twice, securing his eighth pole position of the MotoGP season. Despite a strong session for Marquez, his teammate Francesco Bagnaia struggled, finishing 15th and missing Q2 for the first time this season. Marquez, who leads the championship and has won six consecutive grands prix, will start ahead of Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi and VR46 Racing's Fabio Di Giannantonio, both of whom fought through Q1 to reach the front row. The weekend saw dramatic moments including KTM's Pedro Acosta crashing and switching to a reserve bike, and two Aprilia engine failures that led to red flags during the first practice session. Marquez's prior knowledge of the new Balaton Park circuit, gained from a track day earlier in August, helped him top the opening practice session as well, setting a lap time faster than the World Superbike benchmark. Overall, Marquez's performance underscores his current dominance and the challenges faced by other top riders at Hungary's return to MotoGP after 33 years.