VNE Snipers man Romano Fenati claimed his first Moto3 podium since Silverstone 2017 with a stunning late lap to snatch pole position at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

The Italian was part of a group of fifteen riders all fighting together for the pole position, hooking his Honda up perfectly on a final lap, after successfully coming through Q1. Sitting behind his team-mate Tony Arbolino, the 23-year-old used the slipstream to take the pole position by 0.051 seconds from Ayumu Sasaki.

Despite qualifying in second, the Japanese rider won’t start from the front row, hit with a twelve-place grid penalty, which promotes Q1 fastest man Jaume Masia into the middle of the front row, with John McPhee starting on the outside of the front row.

The Scot looked as if he may have snuck pole position after a stunning solo lap, however ultimately the lack of slipstream hurt to Petronas man.

Ai Ogura posted the fifth fastest time, however, much like Sasaki, the Japanese rider was hit with a twelve place penalty, promoting Kaito Toba to fourth place on the grid. Toba will be joined by Tatsuki Suzuki and Tony Arbolino on the second row, with the Italian failing to convert his practice pace to a pole position.

World Championship challenger Lorenzo Dalla Porta will start from seventh place on his Leopard machine, with Raul Fernandez and Celestino Vietti joining the Italian on the third row.

Nico Antonelli was twelfth fastest, but will start from tenth with the penalties, with Marcos Ramirez and World Championship leader Aron Canet starting in eleventh and twelfth respectively.