Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez has taken his debut MotoGP pole position at Austin, setting himself up to break Freddie Spencer's 30 year old record and become the youngest ever winner in the premier class on Sunday
The Spaniard used just one tyre for the whole 15 minute session to set the fastest ever lap of the Austin circuit on a 2'03.021, which bettered his time from testing March, but he was run close by team-mate Dani Perosa, whose last lap got him to half a second on a 2'03.275.
“We are happy of course, because we took our first pole position which is important and always exciting! We knew beforehand that we could fight for pole, but you never know what will happen in the session. Both Dani and Jorge are fast over a single lap, and we managed to overcome them," said Marquez.
"The important stuff starts tomorrow, because we have a long, physical race with many of changes of direction to deal with. We need to be ready, because tomorrow is what really counts and I will do the best that I can!”
Jorge Lorenzo completes the front row but is a full second behind Marquez and looked to have messed up his strategy, cruising through pitlane with two minutes left and not getting in another lap. The reigning champion had to settle for a 2'04.100.
Monster Yamaha's Cal Crutchlow set his fastest lap on his last but couldn't quite match the time of Lorenzo, finishing 0.167 behind the works Yamaha man but in front of Stefan Bradl on the HRC-backed LCR Honda.
Andrea Dovizioso finishes row two with Alvaro Bautista, Valentino Rossi and Aleix Espargaro as by far the quickest CRT runner. Nicky Hayden was tenth, Bradley Smith 11th and Ben Spies 12th.
