Reigning MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo has taken the first pole position of the 2016 season, setting the fastest time in qualifying two this afternoon but he was pushed hard by former king Marc Marquez while Maverick Vinales chucked in a storming last lap to bag the final front-row spot.
Marquez initially set the pace with a 1’56.749 but was quickly beaten back by Valentino Rossi. It took Lorenzo just one lap to warm his Michelins and he immediately seized control with a 1’54.543 that was never bettered. Marquez got close with a 1’54.634, set on his fourth lap before he went in to switch bikes.
That lap pushed the works Ducati of Andrea Iannone back to third after the Italian had put in a 1’54.54.872. Vinales came out for his last run and had The Doctor in tow while Britain’s Scott Redding settled down to look at Rossi but had Iannone right behind him.
Rossi wasn’t close enough for an aerodynamic tow from the Ecstar Suzuki man but was using him as a marker. Vinales broke the beam with a 1’54.638, just 0.004s slower than Marquez, while Rossi enjoyed fourth-place start spot before Iannone, who had been held up by Redding, slipped ahead of him.
Andrea Dovizioso, on the second works Ducati, set a 1’54.963 to bag the final second-row place at the expense of Dani Pedrosa, who ended in seventh. Hector Barbera continues to impress on the satellite Avintia Ducati but did get a tow from Rossi on his lap of 1’55.165.
Pol Espargaro finished in ninth, one place ahead of Cal Crutchlow who came through from qualifying one to take tenth place. Bradley Smith, another Q1 man, was one place behind while Redding ended in 12th which will be disappointing for the Octo Pramac rider.
Yonny Hernandez finished in 13th place, one ahead of team-mate Eugene Laverty who managed to find over a second in qualifying one compared to his free practice pace. Aleix Espargaro fell from his Suzuki during qualifying one and is well off the pace of his team-mate.
