Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio took pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix on Saturday, as reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez was third fastest in qualifying.
Di Giannantonio, who had to come through the first qualifying session, seized his first pole since 2022 with an early lap of 1:17.410.
He will line up just in front of compatriot Marco Bezzecchi.
Marc Marquez, bidding for a record-equalling eighth top-class world title this year, was one of several big names to crash but still managed to complete the front row.
First pole position for @fabiodiggia49 since 2022 with Marco Bezzecchi and @marcmarquez93 on the front row 🔥#BrazilianGP 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/21L3RMej3c
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 21, 2026
The Spaniard is bidding to bounce back after being forced to retire from the first race of the season in Thailand three weeks ago.
Fabio Quartararo was fourth and will be joined on the second row by Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura.
The sprint race takes place later Saturday, with the main event Sunday as MotoGP returns to Brazil for the first time since 2004.
Former world champion Francesco Bagnaia slid off the track during one of his laps in Q2, as did rising star Pedro Acosta.
Acosta, who claimed his maiden MotoGP win in the sprint race in Buriram earlier this month before finishing second in the Grand Prix to lead the early standings, could only qualify in ninth, two places better than Bagnaia.
Japan's Ogura was fastest in the third and final practice session ahead of Alex Marquez and Quartararo.
Bezzecchi, who won the season-opener at Buriram but had previously struggled for pace this weekend, was then quickest in the first qualifying session to reach Q2.
In the battle for pole, Ducati's Marc Marquez quickly went second quickest, before crashing a couple of minutes later.
No one could catch Di Giannantonio, riding for Valentino Rossi's VR46 team.
Grid for the Brazilian MotoGP sprint and Grand Prix after qualifying on Saturday:
FRONT ROW
Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA/Ducati-VR46), Marco Bezzecchi (ITA/Aprilia), Marc Marquez (ESP/Ducati)
2ND ROW
Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha), Jorge Martin (ESP/Aprilia), Ai Ogura (JPN/Aprilia-Trackhouse)
3RD ROW
Fermin Aldeguer (ESP/Ducati-Gresini), Alex Marquez (ESP/Ducati-Gresini), Pedro Acosta (ESP/KTM)
4TH ROW
Johann Zarco (FRA/Honda-LCR), Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Ducati), Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR/Yamaha-Pramac)
5TH ROW
Joan Mir (ESP/Honda), Diogo Moreira (BRA/Honda-LCR), Franco Morbidelli (ITA/Ducati-VR46)
6TH ROW
Raul Fernandez (ESP/Aprilia-Trackhouse), Alex Rins (ESP/Yamaha), Jack Miller (AUS/Yamaha-Pramac)
7TH ROW
Luca Marini (ITA/Honda), Maverick Vinales (ESP/KTM), Brad Binder (RSA/KTM)
8TH ROW
Enea Bastianini (ITA/KTM-Tech3)