Jorge Lorenzo blitzed the Brno lap record to secure his second MotoGP pole position of the season at the Czech Republic Grand Prix.
The Yamaha rider dominated qualifying from the outset with the former double world champion smashing his own circuit lap record set in the morning’s earlier practice session.
Lorenzo lit up the timing screens with his opening flying lap before going on to post a 1:54.989s, a time half a second under his practice best.
Honda’s Marc Marquez managed to fight back late in the session to trail Lorenzo by 0.074s, while championship leader Valentino Rossi left it late to claim the final spot on the front row in third.
Rossi’s late charge to third demoted Ducati’s Andrea Iannone to fourth, fractionally ahead of Tech 3 Yamaha’s Bradley Smith.
The sister Ducati of Andrea Dovizioso completed the second row ahead of Suzuki’s Maverick Vinales and Tech 3 Yamaha’s Pol Espargaro.
Honda’s Dani Pedrosa continued to struggle with an ankle injury incurred during a practice crash, which restricted him to ninth on the grid.
LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow rounded out the top 10 in front of Hector Barbera and Yonny Hernandez, who impressed for Avintia Racing and Pramac Ducati respectively.
Australia’s Jack Miller will start Sunday’s race from 22nd on the grid for LCR Honda.
Result: MotoGP Czech Republic Grand Prix Qualifying, Brno
Position | Rider | Bike | Time | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jorge Lorenzo | Yamaha | 1:54.989s | |
2 | Marc Márquez | Honda | 1:55.063s | +0.074s |
3 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | 1:55.353s | +0.364s |
4 | Andrea Iannone | Ducati | 1:55.390s | +0.401s |
5 | Bradley Smith | Tech 3 Yamaha | 1:55.460s | +0.471s |
6 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | 1:55.935s | +0.946s |
7 | Maverick Viñales | Suzuki | 1:55.954s | +0.965s |
8 | Pol Espargaró | Tech 3 Yamaha | 1:55.955s | +0.966s |
9 | Dani Pedrosa | Honda | 1:55.969s | +0.980s |
10 | Cal Crutchlow | LCR Honda | 1:56.192s | +1.203s |
11 | Héctor Barberá | Avintia Ducati | 1:56.399s | +1.410s |
12 | Yonny Hernández | Pramac Ducati | 1:56.739s | +1.750s |
13 | Danilo Petrucci | Ducati | 1:56.713s | +1.724s |
14 | Scott Redding | Marc VDS Honda | 1:56.765s | +1.776s |
15 | Aleix Espargaró | Suzuki | 1:56.806s | +1.817s |
16 | Stefan Bradl | Aprilia | 1:57.133s | +2.144s |
17 | Mike Di Meglio | Avintia Ducati | 1:57.215s | +2.226s |
18 | Loris Baz | Yamaha Forward | 1:57.540s | +2.551s |
19 | Álvaro Bautista | Aprilia | 1:57.552s | +2.563s |
20 | Eugene Laverty | Honda | 1:57.634s | +2.645s |
21 | Nicky Hayden | Aspar Honda | 1:57.645s | +2.656s |
22 | Jack Miller | LCR Honda | 1:57.855s | +2.866s |
23 | Alex de Angelis | ART/Aprilia | 1:58.599s | +3.610s |
24 | Claudio Corti | Yamaha Forward | 1:59.145s | +4.156s |
25 | Karel Abraham | AB Honda | 1:59.903s | +4.914s |