Marquez sees off Rossi for Thailand pole

Full MotoGP qualifying results from Thailand

Marc Marquez has edged out a surprise challenge from Valentino Rossi to take the first-ever pole position at the inaugural Thailand MotoGP round.

Marquez sees off Rossi for Thailand pole

Full MotoGP qualifying results from Thailand

Marc Marquez has edged out a surprise challenge from Valentino Rossi to take the first-ever pole position at the inaugural Thailand MotoGP round.

The Repsol Honda rider was forced to graduate through Q1 after missing out on the top ten at the end of FP3 following a late crash in this morning’s session. But the extra track time seemed to give the reigning MotoGP world champion an advantage having set his fastest lap of the weekend in the first session with a 1m 30.031s.

Using that additional track knowledge, Marquez bolted to the front with his opening Q2 lap only to see Rossi surpass him to take provisional pole position for Movistar Yamaha despite the Japanese manufacturer’s recent performance woes.

But with Marquez on a fresh tyre for his final Q2 run, the Repsol Honda rider duly delivered with a 1m 30.088s to snatch pole position from the Italian rider by 0.011s.

Andrea Dovizioso completes the front row, 0.139s off Marquez, to lead the Ducati charge alone with Jorge Lorenzo sitting out the remainder of the Thailand MotoGP round following his heavy highside crash in FP2.

Maverick Vinales secured the front of the second row for Movistar Yamaha despite appearing agitated during Q2 while switching bikes in the pits ahead of his second run. Vinales still saw off Cal Crutchlow on the LCR Honda with Andrea Iannone completing row two for Suzuki.

Dani Pedrosa heads up row three for Repsol Honda, unable to replicate his pace having topped the pre-season test at the Chang International Circuit earlier this year, with Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Johann Zarco in eighth place.

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Danilo Petrucci edged out Pramac Ducati team-mate Jack Miller, with the Australian rider effectively losing his final qualifying lap after coming close to contact with Marquez.

Marquez’s fellow Q1 graduate Alex Rins claimed 11th for Suzuki with Alvaro Bautista completing the fourth row for Angel Nieto Ducati.  

Franco Morbidelli was the unlucky 13th-place rider having missed out from progressing in Q1 by just 0.002s behind Suzuki’s Rins, with fellow MotoGP rookie Takaaki Nakagami one spot back for LCR Honda.

Bradley Smiths joins them on row five for Red Bull KTM, having been held up by Hafizh Syahrin on his final fly lap, with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro heading up the sixth row in 16th in front of Karel Abraham (Angel Nieto Ducati) and Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3).

Fighting back from a broken collarbone injury sustained at Misano, Pol Espargaro will start the Thailand MotoGP race from 19th place for Red Bull KTM ahead of Avintia Ducati duo Jordi Torres and Thomas Luthi with Aprilia’s Scott Redding completing the grid.

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