Movistar Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales snatched MotoGP pole position at Motorland Aragon with a late lap that denied team-mate Valentino Rossi top spot at the Spanish track.Rossi, who broke his leg 23 days ago, charged to the top of the timesheet with a 1’47.815 just as reigning champion Marc Marquez crashed unhurt at turn 12 to go with his fall in free practice four. The Repsol Honda man had been leading with a 1’47.963 but got pipped by The Doctor.
Vinales’ final run saw him bag pole with a 1’47.635 and it looked like a Yamaha one-two until Jorge Lorenzo denied his old enemy, putting in a 1’47.735 to demote Rossi to the outside of the front row.
“I think we did a great job after the injury, I have to thank everyone who helped me. I have worked hard every day and sincerely on the bike, I feel some pain but I can ride quite comfortable. Now we have to understand the pace and whether I can push to the end,” said Rossi in parc ferme.
Britain’s Cal Crutchlow bounced back from an FP4 crash to set the fifth fastest time. He had been following Marquez before the local man lost the front and Crutchlow ended just two-tenths off the pace. Marquez’ first run time was enough for fifth place.
Team-mate Dani Pedrosa completes the second row with joint championship leader Andrea Dovizioso at the top of the third row. The Italian benefitted from Marquez’ tip-off as the Ducati man is now only two places behind Marquez instead of potentially six.
Aleix Espargaro took his Aprilia to eighth with Alvaro Bautista in ninth, crashing on his final lap. Andrea Iannone completed the top ten with Johann Zarco, who came through Q1 with Lorenzo, in 11th. The Monster Yamaha man looked to have some issues with his satellite M1 on the final run.
Mika Kallio crashed the KTM and will start from 12th place, one ahead of Jack Miller who narrowly missed out on a Q2 spot. It wasn’t good news for the the Brits with Scott Redding, Bradley Smith and Sam Lowes propping up the bottom of the timesheet.
