Ai Ogura clinched pole position on Saturday morning (the 20th) for the Czech Grand Prix, the ninth round of the 2026 MotoGP season. In the final phase of qualifying held at the Brno circuit, the Japanese rider posted a best lap of 1:51.139 aboard an Aprilia from Trackhouse, becoming the first Japanese rider to seize the top spot in six years in the premier class of world motorcycle racing.
The runner-up position went to Fabio Di Giannantonio, who, aboard a VR46 Ducati, was beaten by Ogura by 0.211 seconds. Francesco Bagnaia, on a Ducati, completed the first row of the grid. Leading the championship, Marco Bezzecchi will start fourth aboard an Aprilia, while Marc Márquez, on a Ducati, starts fifth. Diogo Moreira, on a LCR Honda, will line up sixth, his best-ever starting position.
Raúl Fernández, on the other Aprilia from Trackhouse, starts seventh, followed by Pedro Acosta, eighth on the KTM. Franco Morbidelli, aboard a VR46 Ducati, starts ninth, ahead of Jorge Martín, tenth on the Aprilia after advancing from Q1 alongside Morbidelli. Fermín Aldeguer, on a Gresini Ducati, and Joan Mir, on a Honda, round out the top 12.
In his first qualifying session since returning to the track after the accident suffered in Catalonia, Álex Márquez finished 14th on a Gresini Ducati, and will start one position ahead of Fabio Quartararo, 15th on a Yamaha and the best representative of the Japanese manufacturer on the Brno grid.
Also on Saturday, starting at 10:00, the Sprint will take place. The Czech GP is scheduled to start at 9:00 on Sunday.
