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MotoGP Assen: Rossi takes pole and outright lap record

Movistar Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi has taken his first MotoGP pole position since Valencia last year and demolished the Assen outright lap record with an astonishing 1’32.627 to steal top spot from Aleix Espargaro this afternoon.

Rossi appears to have banished his qualifying demons at the Dutch track as the tables turn on team-mate Jorge Lorenzo who could only muster eighth place with a 1’33.042 as the top ten were covered by only half a second.

Suzuki’s Espargaro was the first-ever rider to dip under the 1’33s bracket, putting in a 1’32.858 with the soft tyre and the fat lady was just warming up but Rossi had other ideas and stunned the crowd with his time that marmalised the time of 1’33.462 which Marquez set last year.

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Marquez had put in two incredible laps in his first run to lower the bar to a 1’33.146 and then a 1’33.046 despite almost crashing into the back of Aleix Espargaro at the Geert Timmer chicane but getting away with like he probably wouldn’t have done on the 2015 chassis.

Britain’s Cal Crutchlow took second with a 1’33.112 with Lorenzo just 0.005s behind in third. As the first runs came to an end, Rossi had hauled himself up to fifth on a 1’33.150. He had set pole schedule right around the track but then lost 0.145s in the final sector.

As the second runs began, Bradley Smith came up from last to sixth as team-mate Pol Espargaro jumped into third as his brother bagged top spot. But it was then the fast lap times really began.

Marquez dropped his time to a 1’32.886 on his last lap for third while Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa, the final rider to get under the 1’33 barrier, put in a 1’32.987 to claim fourth place.

Such was the pace that Pol Espargaro’s 1’33.013 was only enough for fourth and Andrea Iannone wrapped up the second row with a time on 0.003s behind the Spanish Monster Yamaha man. Crutchlow dipped to a 1’33.028 but joins Lorenzo and Maverick Vinales on the third row.

Even with the sot tyre, Andrea Dovizoso could only muster tenth place with Danilo Petrucci, who came through qualifying one, and Smith next to him. Smith’s 1’33.236 was only six-tenths off Rossi on the factory YZR-M1.

Scott Redding struggled again and will start tomorrow’s race from 16th place while Eugene Laverty was three place further back but only a second off Rossi’s pace.

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