Marc Marquez claimed pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Balaton Park, in Hungary. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP26 on the dry 2.53-mile (4.08 km) track, Marquez turned a 1:36.785 to top the 22-rider field.

Pedro Acosta was the best of the rest with a 1:36.838 on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16, and Fermin Aldeguer claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:37.125 on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP26.

Row-two qualifiers included Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio (1:37.232), Marquez’s teammate, Francesco Bagnaia (1:37.317) and Aprilia Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi (1:37.428).

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Marquez vs Acosta decides pole by just 0.053 at Balaton. The stage is set for a showdown as the #93 gets back on top, denying Friday pacesetter Acosta as Aldeguer completes the front row. 

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) vs Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) went to the wire to decide pole position at Balaton Park, with the #93 just coming out on top by half a tenth. Despite early drama for Marquez as he slid out at Turn 1, he continued on to eventually set a 1.36.785 and deny Acosta by 0.053. Completing the front row, Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) gives chase in P3, but three tenths off the top.

Q1: LATE MOVES ON TOP

In Q1 there were several key names looking for a way through – including Barcelona and Mugello podium finisher Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). As Honda HRC Castrol held onto a provisional 1-2, Bagnaia was down in P9 after the first runs – but the #63 then pulled out a fast one to be leading the way as the seconds ticked down on the clock.

That demoted Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) to third and left it as Bagnaia and Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) heading through. A late lap from Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) saw the Frenchman lose out in the final sectors and his challenge fade, left in P15 overall.

Q2: THE DUEL HEATS UP

The drama was immediate in Q2, with Marc Marquez sliding out at Turn 1 – a true slide out low side, no harm done – followed nearly immediately by Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) doing the exact same thing about 5m further round the corner. Both kept it running and both kept running too, opting to stay out and neither pitting in.

Meanwhile at the top, there were red sectors coming in and a familiar name in P1 after his Friday Practice domination: Acosta. The #37 was fourth tenths clear of Martin before another assault came in, with Marc Marquez slotting into second, still over two tenths off, ahead of Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and then Aldeguer – shuffling Martin down to fifth.

The wick was soon to turn up. Acosta was flying and bettered his own provisional pole lap by another chunk – and then came Marquez. The #93 was on the pace but not pulling out much of a gap, keeping fans glued to the screen to see whether he’d just do it over the line – and he did. By hundredths.

Acosta was still out there but wasn’t able to quite take it back, and then he’d rolled out of it – leaving Marquez on another hot lap trying to better his own best, and Diggia the only other rider who looked like he might have something in the locker. Marquez crossed the line to go 0.006 faster, and Diggia saw his time fade round the lap. So that’s that: it’s the #93 on pole, with Acosta forced to settle for second by 0.053, and their speed setting the stage for what could be an instant classic Sprint this afternoon.

THE GRID SETS THE STAGE

Marquez vs Acosta heading the grid promises quite a show, but they very much have company. Aldeguer moved up to take that P3 last on, denying Di Giannantonio as he heads up Row 2 in fourth. Bagnaia went from Q1 to take fifth on the grid, with Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) sixth on the outside of the second row. After showing some serious speed in the first two sectors, a mistake on one lap and time fading in Sector 3 sees the #72 looking for more in race trim.

Fernandez was shuffled down to seventh ahead of Martin, with Marini taking P9 after coming through Q1. Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) takes P10 and will be looking to move forward, as will Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) from P11. Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) completes the Q2 runners in P12, starting just ahead of Mir after the #36 got left in Q1.

Find full results from MotoGP qualifying in Hungary here and get ready for more. The stage is set. Will the Mugello duellers fight it out again but this time for the win? Tune in at 15:00 (UTC+2) for the Tissot Sprint from Hungary, before the GP race goes green at 14:00 on Sunday!