Marc Márquez, who holds the record with 64 MotoGP pole positions during his career

Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing, which has been divided into four classes since 2023: MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3, and MotoE. Classes that have been discontinued include 500cc (although 500cc statistics are combined with MotoGP officially), 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 80cc, 50cc and Sidecar. The Grand Prix Road-Racing World Championship was established in 1949 by the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), and is the oldest motorsport World Championship.^[1]

This list only lists pole positions since 1974, when pole positions were first officially recorded.^[2] Marc Márquez holds the record for the most pole positions in the premier class with 64. Mick Doohan is second with 58 poles, and Valentino Rossi is third with 55 poles.^[3]

By rider

As of the 2023 Valencian Grand Prix

Grand Prix motorcycle racing polesitters

Rank	Country	Rider	Poles	Seasons active in MotoGP/500cc	First pole	Last pole
1	ESP	Marc Márquez*	64	2013–	2013 MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas	2023 Portuguese Grand Prix
2	AUS	Mick Doohan*	58	1989–1999	1990 500cc Spanish Grand Prix	1998 500cc Argentine Grand Prix
3	ITA	Valentino Rossi*	55	2000–2021	2001 500cc South African Grand Prix	2018 MotoGP Italian Grand Prix
4	ESP	Jorge Lorenzo*	43	2008–2019	2008 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix	2018 MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix
5	AUS	Casey Stoner*	39	2006–2012	2006 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix	2012 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix
6	ESP	Dani Pedrosa†	31	2006–2018 2021 2023–	2006 MotoGP Chinese Grand Prix	2017 MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix
7	USA	Kevin Schwantz*	29	1986–1995	1989 500cc Australian Grand Prix	1994 500cc Spanish Grand Prix
8	USA	Freddie Spencer*	27	1980–1987 1989 1993	1982 500cc Spanish Grand Prix	1986 500cc Spanish Grand Prix
9	ITA	Max Biaggi†	23	1998–2005	1998 500cc Japanese Grand Prix	2004 MotoGP German Grand Prix
10	UK	Barry Sheene*	19	1974–1984	1975 500cc Dutch TT	1982 500cc Yugoslavian Grand Prix
	AUS	Wayne Gardner*	19	1983–1992	1986 500cc British motorcycle Grand Prix	1990 500cc British motorcycle Grand Prix
12	USA	Kenny Roberts*	18	1978–1983	1978 500cc Spanish Grand Prix	1983 500cc San Marino Grand Prix
	USA	Eddie Lawson*	18	1983–1992	1984 500cc Spanish Grand Prix	1992 500cc British Grand Prix
	ITA	Francesco Bagnaia*	18	2019–	2021 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix	2023 MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix
15	FRA	Fabio Quartararo*	16	2019–	2019 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix	2022 MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix
16	USA	Wayne Rainey*	15	1988–1993	1988 500cc United States Grand Prix	1993 500cc Czech Republic Grand Prix
17	ESP	Maverick Viñales†	14	2015–	2017 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix	2023 MotoGP Valencian Grand Prix
18	ESP	Sete Gibernau	13	1997–2006 2009	2000 500cc South African Grand Prix	2006 MotoGP Italian Grand Prix
	ITA	Loris Capirossi†	13	1995–1996 2000–2011	2000 500cc Dutch TT	2006 MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix
	ESP	Jorge Martín†	13	2021–	2021 MotoGP Doha Grand Prix	2023 MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix
21	VEN	Johnny Cecotto†	12	1976–1980	1977 500cc Venezuelan Grand Prix	1979 500cc Belgian Grand Prix
22	USA	Kenny Roberts Jr.*	10	1996–2007	1999 500cc Japanese Grand Prix	2004 MotoGP Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix
23	ITA	Marco Lucchinelli*	9	1976–1986	1980 500cc Nations Grand Prix	1981 500cc Finnish Grand Prix
	USA	John Kocinski†	9	1989 1991–1994 1998–1999	1991 500cc Vitesse du Mans Grand Prix	1999 500cc Malaysian Grand Prix
	ESP	Àlex Crivillé*	9	1992–2001	1995 500cc Dutch TT	1999 500cc Imola Grand Prix
26	ITA	Luca Cadalora†	8	1989 1993–2000	1993 500cc Italian Grand Prix	1995 500cc European Grand Prix
	FRA	Johann Zarco†	8	2017–	2017 MotoGP Dutch TT	2022 MotoGP British Grand Prix
28	FIN	Teuvo Länsivuori	7	1974–1978	1974 500cc Dutch TT	1976 500cc Czechoslovak Grand Prix
	JPN	Tadayuki Okada	7	1996–2000 2008	1996 500cc Malaysian Grand Prix	1999 500cc South African Grand Prix
	ITA	Andrea Dovizioso†	7	2008–2022	2010 MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix	2018 MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix
31	ITA	Giacomo Agostini*	6	1965–1977	1974 500cc Austrian Grand Prix	1976 500cc Finnish Grand Prix
	FRA	Christian Sarron†	6	1979 1981 1985–1990	1987 500cc French Grand Prix	1988 500cc French Grand Prix
33	USA	Randy Mamola	5	1979–1990 1992	1980 500cc Belgian Grand Prix	1987 500cc Portuguese Grand Prix
	BRA	Alex Barros	5	1990–2005 2007	2000 500cc Italian Grand Prix	2005 MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix
	USA	Nicky Hayden*	5	2003–2016	2005 MotoGP United States Grand Prix	2007 MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix
	ESP	Aleix Espargaró	5	2009–2010 2012–	2014 MotoGP Dutch TT	2023 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix
37	UK	Phil Read*	4	1961–1964 1971 1973–1976	1974 500cc French Grand Prix	1974 500cc Czechoslovak Grand Prix
	NZL	Graeme Crosby	4	1980–1982	1981 500cc Austrian Grand Prix	1982 500cc Austrian Grand Prix
	UK	Cal Crutchlow	4	2011–	2013 MotoGP Dutch TT	2018 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix
	ITA	Marco Bezzecchi	4	2022–	2022 MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix	2023 MotoGP Indian Grand Prix
41	ESP	Carlos Checa	3	1995–2007 2010	1998 500cc Spanish Grand Prix	2004 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix
	JPN	Makoto Tamada	3	2003–2007	2004 MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix	2004 MotoGP Valencian Grand Prix
	AUS	Chris Vermeulen	3	2005–2009 2012	2006 MotoGP Turkish Grand Prix	2007 MotoGP Dutch TT
	USA	Colin Edwards	3	2003–2014	2007 MotoGP French Grand Prix	2008 MotoGP Chinese Grand Prix
	ESP	Pol Espargaró	3	2014–	2020 MotoGP Styrian Grand Prix	2021 MotoGP British Grand Prix
46	NED	Jack Middelburg	2	1977–1983	1980 500cc Dutch TT	1982 500cc Belgian Grand Prix
	FRA	Raymond Roche	2	1977–1983	1984 500cc British Grand Prix	1984 500cc San Marino Grand Prix
	JPN	Tadahiko Taira	2	1984–1985 1987–1991	1988 500cc Japanese Grand Prix	1989 500cc Japanese Grand Prix
	USA	Doug Chandler	2	1991–1994	1992 500cc Hungarian Grand Prix	1992 500cc French Grand Prix
	FRA	Jean-Michel Bayle	2	1996–1999 2002	1996 500cc Czech Republic Grand Prix	1998 500cc Imola Grand Prix
	NED	Jurgen van den Goorbergh	2	1997–2002 2005	1999 500cc Catalan Grand Prix	1999 500cc Czech Republic Grand Prix
	UK	Jeremy McWilliams	2	1993–1996 2000 2002–2005 2007	2000 500cc Australian motorcycle Grand Prix	2002 MotoGP Australian motorcycle Grand Prix
	ITA	Marco Simoncelli†	2	2010–2011	2011 MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix	2011 MotoGP Dutch TT
	ITA	Andrea Iannone	2	2013–2019	2015 MotoGP Italian Grand Prix	2016 MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix
	ITA	Franco Morbidelli	2	2018–	2020 MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix	2020 MotoGP Valencian Grand Prix
	AUS	Jack Miller	2	2015–	2018 MotoGP Argentine Grand Prix	2022 MotoGP San Marino Republic Grand Prix
	ITA	Luca Marini	2	2021–	2023 MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix	2023 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix
58	AUS	Jack Findlay	1	1958–1978	1974 500cc Isle of Man TT	1974 500cc Isle of Man TT
	UK	Tony Rutter	1	1974–1975	1975 500cc Isle of Man TT	1975 500cc Isle of Man TT
	ITA	Gianfranco Bonera	1	1973–1975 1977–1978 1980	1975 500cc Finnish Grand Prix	1975 500cc Finnish Grand Prix
	UK	John Williams	1	1968–1978	1976 500cc Isle of Man TT	1976 500cc Isle of Man TT
	ITA	Virginio Ferrari	1	1976–1979 1982–1985	1976 500cc German Grand Prix	1976 500cc German Grand Prix
	USA	Steve Baker	1	1977–1978	1977 500cc French Grand Prix	1977 500cc French Grand Prix
	SUI	Philippe Coulon	1	1974 1976–1983	1977 500cc Belgian Grand Prix	1977 500cc Belgian Grand Prix
	FRA	Michel Rougerie	1	1973–1980	1978 500cc British Grand Prix	1978 500cc British Grand Prix
	USA	Mike Baldwin	1	1979 1981 1985–1988	1979 500cc Spanish Grand Prix	1979 500cc Spanish Grand Prix
	NED	Boet van Dulmen	1	1975–1986	1979 500cc Finnish Grand Prix	1979 500cc Finnish Grand Prix
	NED	Graziano Rossi	1	1977–1982	1980 500cc Finnish Grand Prix	1980 500cc Finnish Grand Prix
	FRA	Jean Lafond	1	1982–1983	1982 500cc French Grand Prix	1982 500cc French Grand Prix
	ITA	Franco Uncini*	1	1979–1985	1982 500cc Nations Grand Prix	1982 500cc Nations Grand Prix
	UK	Ron Haslam	1	1977–1980 1982–1991 1993 2000	1984 500cc Swedish Grand Prix	1984 500cc Swedish Grand Prix
	UK	Niall Mackenzie	1	1986–1994	1987 500cc Japanese Grand Prix	1987 500cc Japanese Grand Prix
	AUS	Kevin Magee	1	1987–1991 1993	1988 500cc Spanish Grand Prix	1988 500cc Spanish Grand Prix
	JPN	Shinichi Ito	1	1988–1996 1999 2002 2005 2007 2011	1993 500cc German Grand Prix	1993 500cc German Grand Prix
	NZL	Simon Crafar	1	1993 1998–1999	1998 500cc British Grand Prix	1998 500cc British Grand Prix
	JPN	Tetsuya Harada†	1	1999–2000 2002	1999 500cc Italian Grand Prix	1999 500cc Italian Grand Prix
	FRA	Régis Laconi	1	1997–2000 2002	1999 500cc Valencian motorcycle Grand Prix	1999 500cc Valencian motorcycle Grand Prix
	AUS	Garry McCoy	1	1998–2004 2006	2000 500cc Portuguese Grand Prix	2000 500cc Portuguese Grand Prix
	JPN	Tohru Ukawa	1	2001–2005	2001 500cc Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix	2001 500cc Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix
	FRA	Olivier Jacque†	1	2001–2005 2007	2002 MotoGP German Grand Prix	2002 MotoGP German Grand Prix
	JPN	Daijiro Kato†	1	2002–2003	2002 MotoGP Pacific Grand Prix	2002 MotoGP Pacific Grand Prix
	UK	John Hopkins	1	2002–2008 2011	2006 MotoGP Dutch TT	2006 MotoGP Dutch TT
	USA	Ben Spies	1	2008–2013	2010 MotoGP Indianapolis Grand Prix	2010 MotoGP Indianapolis Grand Prix
	ESP	Álvaro Bautista†	1	2010–2018 2023	2012 MotoGP British motorcycle Grand Prix	2012 MotoGP British motorcycle Grand Prix
	GER	Stefan Bradl†	1	2012–2016 2018–	2013 MotoGP United States Grand Prix	2013 MotoGP United States Grand Prix
	JPN	Takaaki Nakagami	1	2018–	2020 MotoGP Teruel Grand Prix	2020 MotoGP Teruel Grand Prix
	PRT	Miguel Oliveira	1	2019–	2020 MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix	2020 MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix
	ITA	Fabio Di Giannantonio	1	2022–	2022 MotoGP Italian Grand Prix	2022 MotoGP Italian Grand Prix
	ITA	Enea Bastianini	1	2021–	2022 MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix	2022 MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix
	ESP	Álex Márquez	1	2020–	2023 MotoGP Argentine Grand Prix	2023 MotoGP Argentine Grand Prix

By nationality

As of the 2023 Valencian Grand Prix

Rank	Country	Poles	Rider(s)
1	Spain	200	12
2	Italy	156	18
3	United States	144	14
4	Australia	124	8
5	France	38	9
6	United Kingdom	34	10
7	Japan	17	8
8	Venezuela	12	1
9	Finland	7	1
10	Netherlands	6	4
11	New Zealand	5	2
	Brazil	5	1
13	Ireland	2	1
14	Switzerland	1	1
	Germany	1	1
	Portugal	1	1

References