Escrig Claims Qatar Moto2 Pole; Aji Starts 21st
Alex Escrig set the fastest time at Lusail on Saturday, while Mario Aji failed to advance past Q1 and will start from 21st in the Moto2 main race.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Motorsports
Alex Escrig set the fastest qualifying time of 1 minute 55.241 seconds to claim pole position for the 2026 Qatar Moto2 main race at the Lusail International Circuit. Mario Aji set a best time of 1 minute 56.354 seconds in Q1, placed seventh in that session and did not advance, and will start from 21st.
Why it matters
Aji's grid slot is set by his Q1 time, leaving him well back from the front row for the main race. Escrig's pole position puts him at the head of the field heading into the race.
Official qualifying data places Escrig's 1:55.241 lap 0.126 seconds ahead of Gonzalez and 0.233 seconds ahead of Holgado, while Aji's 1:56.354 Q1 time left him 21st among 27 riders. The stub does not provide the main race outcome.
The players
Mario Aji
Indonesian Moto2 rider who finished seventh in Q1 and will start the Qatar main race from 21st.
Alex Escrig
Spanish Moto2 rider who set the fastest qualifying time and claimed pole position for the Qatar main race.
The details
Qualifying took place at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar on Saturday, November 7, 2026. Riders who did not advance from Q1 were placed on the grid according to their Q1 results, which is how Aji's 21st starting position was determined.
Timeline
Saturday, November 7, 2026: Moto2 qualifying held at Lusail International Circuit.
2026 Qatar Moto2 main race: Aji starts from 21st position.
Season Trajectory
Under the Moto2 qualifying format, riders who do not reach Q2 are slotted onto the grid by their Q1 times, which places Aji behind the front-running group for this race. The result leaves Escrig in position to contest the pole-to-finish narrative early in the 2026 season.
Aji begins the main race from 21st, so his finish will depend on how he moves through the field from the back of the grid. Escrig's pole position gives him the strongest starting spot among the riders listed in the qualifying results.
The takeaway
Qualifying positions set the baseline for the race, but a rider starting 21st has the most ground to make up. Watching how Aji and Escrig perform in the main race will show how much the grid order matters at Lusail.
Further reading
For more on the riders and series behind this result, explore Motorsports.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TEMPO.
