Bagnaia Storms To Fourth Straight Pole At Emilia-Romagna MotoGP

Bagnaia storms to fourth straight pole at Emilia-Romagna MotoGP

Francesco Bagnaia claimed his fourth consecutive MotoGP pole position on Saturday after a stunning comeback at Misano which gives the Ducati rider a huge chance of prolonging this season's title race

Misano Adriatico, Italy, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Oct, 2021 ) :Francesco Bagnaia claimed his fourth consecutive MotoGP pole position on Saturday after a stunning comeback at Misano which gives the Ducati rider a huge chance of prolonging this season's title race.

Italian Bagnaia had topped the times in the first qualifying session for the Emilia-Romagna race to get into Q2 following a poor run in the morning's third practice and then charged to a best time of one minute, 33.045 seconds to take first place on the grid, just 0.25sec ahead of his teammate Jack Miller.

Bagnaia is 52 points behind championship leader Fabio Quartararo with three races remaining this season and with the Yamaha rider starting Sunday's race in 15th Bagnaia can extend their battle for at least a week.

Bagnaia needs to keep the gap in the overall standings between him and Quartararo to less than 50 and will fancy his chances of doing so as he beat the Frenchman on the same circuit in the San Marino MotoGP in September.

It was a great afternoon for Ducati on home soil as all three front row places were claimed by the Italian team, with Luca Marini, Valentino Rossi's half-brother who rides for the Avintia satellite team finishing third on 1:33.

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"I kept feeling like I had a little bit more left in the tank, that I could cut a bit of my time but it wasn't to be today," Miller told Sky Sport Italia.

"It's great to see all three Ducatis up here and hopefully we can finish like that tomorrow as well." A strong finish for motorcycling legend Rossi in his last ever MotoGP in Italy looks unlikely as the seven-time champion will start in 23rd position on the grid.

Rossi, 42, will say 'ciao' to his army of local fans on Sunday as the Italian sporting icon prepares to bring down the curtain on one of the sport's greatest careers.

Rossi has failed to set the track alight during his slow march towards retirement at the end of the season and sits 21st in the overall standings after only making the top 10 twice all season.