Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi produced a late-session upset to claim pole position for Sunday’s MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix, clocking 1 minute 28.060 seconds after advancing from the Q1 repêchage. The pole is the Italian’s first of the season and his fifth in the premier class. Bezzecchi will line up ahead of Gresini’s Alex Márquez and Ducati’s reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia. Championship leader Marc Márquez, who had set the early benchmark, slipped to fourth after clipping a kerb and crashing at Turn 2 during his final flying lap. The Spaniard remounted but could not improve his time, leaving him still in search of a first career victory at the Red Bull Ring. KTM Tech3’s Maverick Viñales withdrew from the remainder of the weekend because of persistent pain in his recently-operated left shoulder. Qualifying also saw strong showings from Ducati satellite rider Pedro Acosta, who starts seventh, while French contenders Johann Zarco and Fabio Quartararo will begin 12th and 16th respectively.