Bezzecchi sets Misano lap record to take San Marino MotoGP pole

Marco Bezzecchi set a new all-time lap record at Misano to claim pole position for the San Marino MotoGP on Saturday, beating reigning world champion Marc Marquez. The Italian rider, who competes for Aprilia, posted a time of 1 minute 29.982 seconds, becoming the first rider to break the 1 minute 30 seconds barrier at the circuit. Marquez qualified second, 0.198 seconds behind, while Fermin Aldeguer completed the front row in third. Bezzecchi's lap was the fastest ever recorded at Misano, surpassing the previous record held by Francesco Bagnaia. The result marked Bezzecchi's second consecutive pole position after the Aragon Grand Prix, where he failed to convert the advantage into a race win. He currently sits third in the championship standings, 24 points behind leader Jorge Martin, who qualified only fifth on Saturday. The qualifying session was marked by several incidents. Bezzecchi complained of being impeded by Johann Zarco during the session, and stewards said they were investigating the incident. Alex Marquez crashed twice during qualifying, while Fabio Di Giannantonio also crashed late in the session but still managed to qualify fourth.