Jorge Martín takes pole record and sprint win at Silverstone as Aprilia sweeps the podium

Pole and circuit record

Jorge Martín (Aprilia) set a new Silverstone circuit record of 1:56.160 in qualifying, snatching pole position in the final instant of the session from his teammate Raúl Fernández (Aprilia-Trackhouse), who had briefly held the top spot at 1:56.281, 21 thousandths slower. Ai Ogura (Aprilia-Trackhouse) qualified third, giving Aprilia a lockout of the front row. The second row was headed by Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati-VR46), followed by Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) and Marc Márquez (Ducati), who had been unable to complete his final flying lap after an on-track incident. The pole was Martín's second of the season and the eighth consecutive year a different rider has started from the front spot at Silverstone.

Sprint race: Aprilia dominance

Martín led from the start of the 10-lap sprint and never relinquished the position, winning by a comfortable margin over Ogura in second. Bezzecchi completed an all-Aprilia podium in third, riding through a fractured collarbone and a damaged knee sustained in a crash in Germany. The Italian crossed the line in tears after the physical effort. Raúl Fernández, who had started alongside Martín on the front row, made a poor getaway and crashed on the fourth lap; he attempted to continue but was ultimately forced to retire. The victory was Martín's 19th in sprint races and his second sprint win of the season. It was also his first race win at Silverstone in any format.

We've done a lot of work during the summer break, I haven't stopped, and the reward is finally coming. It was a difficult race, at the end I had no rear tyre left. I didn't think I was going to win the race.

Marc Márquez's tyre nightmare

The reigning world champion Marc Márquez (Ducati) started sixth and briefly climbed to fourth on the opening lap, overtaking Bezzecchi and benefiting from Fernández's poor start. By mid-race, however, severe rear tyre degradation left him defenceless. Bezzecchi, Álex Márquez, Pedro Acosta, Joan Mir and Franco Morbidelli all passed him with ease in the closing laps. Márquez salvaged a single point in ninth, just 27 thousandths ahead of Moreira. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) fared worse, finishing 17th after a poor qualifying session. The broader Ducati contingent struggled with tyre wear throughout the sprint.

Championship implications

With his sprint victory, Martín extended his championship lead to 220 points. Ogura sits second on 203, 17 behind. Bezzecchi's podium moved him up to third on 193, overtaking Márquez, who dropped to fourth on 191. Before the sprint, Márquez had been 18 points behind Martín; he will start Sunday's main race 29 points adrift. The top four riders are separated by 29 points after 11 races, in what ABC described as the tightest championship in MotoGP history.

What's next

The full British Grand Prix, the 12th round of the season, takes place on Sunday at 12:00 GMT. Martín will start from pole position and could complete a perfect weekend with a victory in the main race, a feat he has not yet achieved at Silverstone. Márquez, starting sixth, faces a recovery drive with clear tyre management concerns after Saturday's degradation issues.

It's very beautiful and rewarding to resume the championship with a pole and such a convincing win, but this has only just begun. We'll have to keep fighting hard to stay at the front.