Pol Espargaro believes he can challenge for another MotoGP podium after securing a fourth 🎐top six qualifying result since Sil🌌verstone.

Esparg𓆉aro, who has looked fast and consistent all weekend, ꧃was on course to finish as the second fastest Honda behind Alex Marquez, however, a late effort saw the Repsol Honda rider jump from ninth to fifth. 

While quali💯fying has been Espargaro’s main strength of late, the former KTM rider has also made significant steps in r🌠ace trim, which he believes will continue if the correct tyre choice is made for today’s race.

Sp🥃eaking after qualifying, Espargaro said: "Today showed the progress we have made this year with t🍌he bike, with me and with the team. 

"I made a mistake at T1 during m𓄧y fastest lap so maybe I could have found another tenth but otherwise I was feeling good on the bike – even after our crash in FP4. 

"The front two꧒ rows are our target every weekend, when you’re h𓂃ere you can be there in the group in the race with a good start. 

"I’m happy we’ve ma🎃de this step, but we can be there. Still, we need to look a bit at what tyre to use in the race because there’s a lot of possible options here."

For Espargaro’s team-mate Stefan Bradl, the German rider was unable to fi🅘nd enough improvements to challenge Q1’s quickest rid💦ers.

Instead, Bradl will start from 20th - just ahead of Andrea Dovizioso and feꦦllow Honda rider Takaaki Nakagami.

"Qualifying was OK, of course I would have liked to be further ahe♒ad but in the end I am still missing something over one lap," added Bradl. 

"Thi🐷s is probably the area where I see the biggest🌺 difference between myself and the other riders, pushing to get the most out of the tyre over one lap. 

"In the end I think we have done and are doing a good job, the distance to the front is not very big because the times are so t▨i𝐆ght. 

"Let’s see what happens in the race, the plan is to stay in the group and see what haඣppens."