Veteran Italian Mattia Pasini took a surprise pole position, whilst Moto2 World Championship challengers Pecco Bagnaia and Miguel Oliveira struggled, qualifying in sixteenth and twentieth respectively in Phillip Island.
With less than optimum conditions, the Italian found himself fastest midway through the qualifying session with a stunningly fast 1:33.368 in the conditions. Despite it coming halfway through the session and no MotoGP tyre grip early, nobody was able to better the Italian – who is still looking for work in 2019 – for his third pole of 2018.
Pasini will be joined on the front row by Dynavolt duo Marcel Schrotter and Xavi Vierge who will start from second and third respectively.
Domi Aegerter will start from the head of the second row on his KTM and will be just one spot ahead of the Red Bull KTM of Brad Binder. Fabio Quartararo will round out the second row in sixth position, with the Frenchman struggling to hook up his Speed Up in the final sector.
The third row will be made up of Luca Marini, Iker Lecuona and Alex Marquez, although the Spaniard may be forced to sit out of the race after a nasty crash, involving Steven Odendaal, which left him with possible concussion symptoms.
The title challengers will have it all to do in tomorrows race. Bagnaia will start from the head of the sixth row with a best time 0.999 seconds off of Pasini’s time.
Oliveira didn’t have a session any better starting from the middle of the seventh row. Whilst not totally foreign for the Portuguese rider to struggle in qualifying, starting this far down heading into Doohan’s corner will not be easy.
