Daniel Holgado has taken pole position for the penultimate round of the 2023 Moto3 World Championship in Qatar after resisting Diogo Moreira at the Lusail International Circuit.

The Spaniard avoided any dramas with loitering riders looking to grab a tow by setting his time well before the chequered flag, his 2m 04.742secs lap good enough to hold the top spot.

Only the second pole position of his Moto3 career - and his first since the 2022 Austrian Moto3 - the result will give Holgado’s slim title hopes a welcome boost at this late stage in the season, though with a 41-point deficit to bridge and only a maximum of 50 available, he remains a sizeable outsider.

By contrast, the fight is definitely on between Moto3 leader Jaume Masia and Ayumu Sasaki, the pair split by just 13 points coming to Qatar.

Ahead of Sunday’s race it is Sasaki who holds the advantage in terms of grid position, the Husqvarna IntactGP rider, who is still yet to win a race this season, qualifying fourth, while Masia has work to do from tenth place on the grid.

Back at the front, Moreira came very close to unseating Holgado from pole position, the Brazilian only 0.003secs shy of the top spot, while Deniz Oncu completed the front row on the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine.

Joining Sasaki on row two will be team-mate and Malaysian Moto3 winner Collin Veijer and Rivacold Snipers rider Romano Fenati.

Joel Kelso heads up row three on the best of the CFMoto PruestelGP machines, alongside Matteo Bertelle and Ivan Ortola.

Meanwhile, David Alonso - the winner of more races than any other rider this season and one of four riders mathematically within a shot of the title still - gets away from 13th.

Scott Ogden made it through to Q2 on the VisionTrack Racing Honda, the Briton going on to qualify 16th but ending his day on the floor after a crash. Team-mate Josh Whatley starts 20th.

Qatar Moto3, Lusail International Circuit - Qualifying Results