History was made at the Red Bull Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday as Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo became the first MotoGP rider to record four straight Jerez pole positions. He has become the first premier class rider to ever achieve this feat in the 34-year history of Grand Prix racing at Jerez.

Quartararo’s quadruple never looked in doubt too, with the World Championship leader set to fire from his second pole of 2021 on Sunday alongside Q1 graduate Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team).

Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) has qualified second. It’s his first front row start since he also claimed second on the grid at the Portuguese GP last year. He went on to finish that race in third, his most recent podium.

Yamaha’s riders will be aiming to win the opening four premier class races of the season for the first time since 1980 with Kenny Roberts (3 wins) and Jack Middelburg (1).

Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) has qualified third and is the highest-placed Ducati rider for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix. It’s his first front row start since he was third on the grid in Portugal last year when he went on to finish second – his most recent podium.

Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), who finished fourth last year at the Andalucia GP for a career-best MotoGP result – later equaled at the European GP –  has qualified fifth and is the highest-placed Honda rider. This is the best qualifying result for a Honda rider since Cal Crutchlow claimed fourth last year in Portugal.

Maverick Vinales, who has finished on the podium at the previous three MotoGP races at Jerez, has qualified seventh. It’s the factory Yamaha man’s worst qualifying result at Jerez since he was 11th on the grid back in 2018.

Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) went directly to Q2 for the first time this season on Saturday. The World Champion will start from 10th on Sunday for the third successive time in Jerez. Last year he finished fifth at the Andalucian GP – the only time he has ever scored points at Jerez in the premier class in his MotoGP career.

After being forced into Q1 for only the sixth time in his MotoGP career (excluding Andalucia 2020), Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) then failed to move through to Q2 for just the second time in his career along with the 2015 Italian Grand Prix. He eventually qualified in 14th, which is his worst qualifying result since he moved to MotoGP in 2013.

Having tasted victory in the Andalusian city on nine occasions, in addition to seven podiums, Valentino Rossi knows how to grind out the results in the south of Spain. Add the allure of a 200th premier class podium within his sights, can the legendary Italian kickstart his season, and Petronas SRT career, into life at the Jerez circuit?

MotoGP