Nico Antonelli topped Moto3 qualifying at Assen’s MotoGP round to take pole position by a tenth of a second this lunchtime, nicking top spot from Kaito Toba
Sporting classic Honda colours, Toba put in a 1’41.376 to open a half-second lead over team-mate Tatsuki Suzuki but Czech rider Jakub Kornfiel had other ideas, cutting the gap to 0.366s with his last lap.
But in the final-lap melee, the Sic58 rider set a 1’41.232 for pole and the fastest ever lightweight Assen lap. Tony Arbolino scooted into third place with a 1’41.389 which pushed Suzuki to fourth with Celestino Vietti fifth.
Scotland’s John McPhee crashed on his first lap of qualifying one and was left with only one shot at a qualifying ltime. He ended down in 22nd on the Petronas Sprinta bike.
Tom Booth-Amos has already been given a 12-place grid penalty for dawdling in free practice three but he added insult to that injury, clipping the rear of Jaume Masia at the Timmer Chicane and going down. He starts last.
