The six-time world champion in the premier class, who will also start leading the sprint – a new race format inaugurated this season – finished ahead of outgoing world champion Francesco Bagnaia of Italy and fellow Spaniard Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac).
"Frankly, I don't understand what happened," said the Honda rider at the finish. "Yesterday (during the tests, editor's note), we suffered a lot," he continued.
On Friday, the Spaniard had only signed the 14th time of qualifying practice and therefore had to go through the repechages Saturday morning to win this pole.
Marquez, 30, even set the lap record and won Portiamo the 64th pole of his career, marked in recent years by health problems that prevented him from competing for the title.
"Today it's better (than Friday), we will start in pole position this afternoon (during the sprint) and tomorrow (at the Grand Prix), it's very important (...), the race will be very difficult against the Ducati who have a very high pace, but we start in front, so it's already a big advantage.
Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) will start only 11th, behind his compatriot Johann Zarco (Ducati-Pramac), 10th.
Spain's Marc Marquez in Portimao, Portugal, March 25, 2023 © PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP
The start of the sprint will be given at 15:00 this afternoon (16:00 Paris time), that of the GP Sunday at 14:00.
Contested each day before the Grand Prix, the sprints represent the equivalent, in distance, of half of the main race on Sunday and also offer up to 12 additional points to the championship, in addition to the 25 points awarded the next day to the winner of the GP.
© 2023 AFP