Fermín Aldeguer has stormed to the Moto2 pole position at Phillip Island while Australian Joel Kelso earned a Moto3 front row start on home soil.
Moto2
Aldeguer flew to Moto2 pole position with a record lap time in Qualifying at the Island.
Championship leader Pedro Acosta set the benchmark of 1.32.666s in the first few minutes, with Arón Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) in touching distance of the KTM rider, a margin of 0.079s separating the pair.
WIth five minutes left in the session, the times began to tumble and Speed Up’s Aldeguer put in a record-bettering 1.31.888s.
Canet remained on the pace, also dipping below the current lap record with a 1.32.230s.
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Aldeguer’s team-mate Alonso López will join him on the front row in third, setting a 132.572s.
With 1:20s left in the session, Sam Lowes (Marc VDS) caused the yellow to be shown at Turn 4, cancelling a number of laps in the final time attack.
Beforehand in Q1, Filip Salač set a 1:32.943s to be fastest in the early runs.
The QJmotor Gresini Moto2 rider then came to the pit lane to spectate for the remainder of the session.
It earnt the Czech rider passage to the second stanza, he was joined by Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) and team-mates Barry Baltus and Zonta van den Goorbergh (Fieten Olie Racing GP).
Race start for Moto2 is slated for 11:15 local time/AEDT tomorrow.
Moto3
Darwin-born Kelso will start the Moto3 race at Phillip Island from the front row with championship contender Ayumu Sasaki claiming pole.
Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) set a 1.36.654s in the first attacking run of Qualifying 2, and his second run netted the Japanese rider a 1:36.539s to secure pole.
CFMoto’s Kelso ran without a tow for both of his time attacks, producing a 1:36.742s to be second-fastest.
Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) fills out the front row, setting a 1:36.755s.
Championship leader Jaume Masià meanwhile qualified down in 13th.
The yellows were brought out briefly in the session for David Alonso (GasGas Aspar Team).
The GasGas competitor ran long at Turn 4 and, in his attempt to rejoin, he dropped the bike on the grass.
Earlier, Qualifying 1 saw Daniel Holgado finish quickest, making his way into Q2 where he eventually claimed 11th on the grid.
Ryusei Yamanaka, Filippo Farioli (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Iván Ortolá (Angeluss MTA Team) also battled their way through the first part of qualifying to appear in Q2.
Moto3 is scheduled to race tomorrow at 10:00 AEDT.
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