Jorge Lorenzo has stormed to MotoGP pole as he smashed his own qualifying lap record to beat team-mate Valentino Rossi in his own back yard at Misano.
The reigning champ resembled the Lorenzo of old as he dominated the session setting a quick lap early on before backing it up with a 1’31.868 to take this third pole of the season.
The Spaniard was the only rider to dip into the 1’31s at the San Marino track in the closing moments of the session, and came under no real pressure from any of his rivals in a Q2 which went off without any major dramas or incidents.
In fact, it was only the Movistar Yamaha duo of Lorenzo and Rossi who had anything really left in the tank as they made their final runs. Marc Marquez, who had been fastest in free practice three, wasn’t in any position to mount a serious challenge and had to settle for fourth behind the Ecstar Suzuki of Maverick Vinales.
As the pack headed out after their all-important change of tyres, Lorenzo and Marquez appeared to engage in a bit of ‘after you sir’ antics as they both tried to wave each other out first, and in the end Lorenzo had to lead the way.
But it did little to slow him down as he set his record-breaking hot lap with more than a minute left to run. Rossi had just gone second but had his time disallowed for crossing onto the red part of the track.
However, The Doctor wasn’t done yet and set a 1’32.216 to re-take second place. Vinales claimed the third spot on the front row as he crossed the line just 0.165s behind.
Repsol Honda’s Marquez heads the second row ahead of the impressive Michele Pirro, the Ducati wildcard beating his team-mate for the weekend Andrea Dovizioso who starts sixth.
A disappointed Cal Crutchlow starts from seventh after the LCR Honda man again struggled with tyres, and hinted afterwards that he will probably now have to race with the softer option tomorrow which won’t suit his style.
Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa starts from eighth, one spot ahead of the second Suzuki of Aleix Espargaro, as brother Pol on the Monster Yamaha starts just behind from 10th.
Alex Lowes emerged best of the other Brit boys as he rode his Monster Yamaha to a solid 14th spot, while Pull & Bear Aspar Team Ducati rider Eugene Laverty starts 16th, two places ahead of Scott Redding, who’s bad day continued and he was left languishing down in 18th.
