After struggling to find one lap pe🌜rformance two weeks ago in Qatar, Quartararo had no such issues during the inaugural MotoGP qualifying around the Mandalika Street Circuit. 

The M1 Yamaha rider, who already set a new official lap rec✅ord during 🔯FP2, did so again to claim his 16th pole in MotoGP since 2019. 

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"Finally on one lap I felt great. It has been a long time since I felt go꧟od in one lap," said a relieved Quartararo. "I felt great in FP2 when I put the soft tyre on and also in FP4 I made 15 or 14 really good l♔aps in a row. 

"The pace was really good and it was importa꧋nt to do that many laps in a row to see the consistency of th🔴e tyres. I expected much more drop from the rear. 

"It’s difficult to know because it’s a new track and we don’t know what to expect. But I felt much bette🦄r than in Qatar and my potential is here to fight for the podium and victory."

Q♛uartararo’s pole position could ultimately prove vital in his attempt at winning Sunday’s race as the 22 year-old also alluded to the Yamaha being a bike that struggles to overtake. 

A big reason for that is the lack of power compared to𒅌 other bikes, however, Mandalika provides 𝐆its own challenges due to the circuit being dirty and therefore incredibly slippery off line.  

Quartararo added: "With our bike we strugg💮le quite a lot to overtake, so then you need to play a little bit with the pressure. 

"In this kind of track where it’s really hot it’s always bett🐭💜er to start at the front instead of the back. 

"I feel like it’s a good trac🧜k to start from the front 𝓡row. Let’s see how my start goes. Normally I’m not too bad this year."

Looking to challenge Quartararo will be Jorge Martin, who will be hoping for a much better launch than the one he got from p🔯ole♈ in Qatar.

Lauded for their incredible starts in 2021, Ducati riders surprisingly struggled to replicate that at the Lusail International Circuit, which will need to be avoid💛ed if they have any ideas of keeping up with the current world champion. 

While Martin once again showed his knack for finding pace over one lap, it very nearly came at a cost as the Pramac rider los🎀t the front on two occasions during his fast lap. 

"It was a really difficult qualifying for me because the conditions were rea♔lly hot." ♔;added the one-time MotoGP race winner. 

"I was struggling 🍃a bit with the front and on my fast lap I lost the front in the first corner; I had a moment to think whether to keep pushing or t🧜o stop and lose that lap. 

"Also, I lost t☂he front in corner 15, but still I finished a good lap and second is good. The target was the first row. I didn’t think about the pole posi💜tion because he (Fabio Quartararo) was super competitive. 

"Maybe I could have been closer but the position would have been the sཧame. The pace is good so let’s see, we can fight for the 🐟top positions because my pace is better than Qatar. 

"There are five or six riders꧑ with a really good pace, also Marc [Marquez] and Pol 𓆏[Espargaro] have a really good pace but they are back on the grid."