Marc Marquez is keeping his fingers crossed that the clouds roll in at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday as he looks to overhaul surprise pole-sitter Fabio Quartararo in Jerez.

Petronas Yamaha rider Quartararo became the youngest man to take a MotoGP pole, breaking a record previously held by Marquez, when he produced the fastest lap of one minute, 36.880 seconds two weeks after his 20th birthday.

The Frenchman's team-mate Franco Morbidelli will start second on the grid, with Marquez rounding out the front row as the five-time world champion bids to get back on track in the 2019 season.

Marquez crashed last time out at the Grand Prix of the Americas - a race he had previously won in each of the six years it was staged - and the 26-year-old is hoping the weather will be kind to him as he bids to return to the winner's circle in Spain.

"Honestly speaking, I was a little bit afraid in qualifying because when it's cloudy, this track is easier to be faster. If tomorrow is warmer, then everything becomes more difficult," he explained at a news conference.

"But I knew that a few riders with a soft rear tyre were very, very fast. So for that reason I try to use three tyres.

"With the last one, already the front was too used but I'm happy we achieve our goal, that was the front row, because here it is difficult to overtake.

"I didn't expect to have these two riders in front of me but they did incredible lap times, 36.8 is a flying lap. I just concentrate for tomorrow."

When Marquez set the previous record for the youngest pole-sitter, he went on to win the race in Austin in 2013.

Quartararo will hope to follow in his footsteps and he is nevertheless well positioned to improve on his best-ever MotoGP finish of seventh in his rookie campaign.

"I can't believe it, really," he told BT Sport.

"I knew that I made an incredible lap - 36.8 was amazing.

"Finally I reach a really good lap, a perfect lap. The front was really on the limit. Now it feels amazing to be on the pole position for tomorrow."