A late crash in qualifying did not stop two-time world champion Marc Marquez from taking pole for the Aragon MotoGP.

The Spaniard lost the front-end of his Honda through the high-speed Turn 2 in the dying seconds of the session, emerging unhurt after tumbling through the gravel trap.

Marquez’s best time of 1:46.64s, set on the first of three tyre sets, would however prove able to withstand a final effort from Yamaha mounted rival Jorge Lorenzo.

“In the first run I didn’t push 100 percent and with the second I did a few mistakes, so with the last one I said now I will push my maximum,” reflected Marquez, whose pole time is a new qualifying record at the venue.

“With the qualifying tyre sometimes it can happen, you are pushing on the limit. In the second corner maybe the tyre was still not at the correct pressure and I lost the front.

“I’m happy for the pole but sorry for the team because they have to repair the bike.”

Lorenzo ended up 0.11s adrift in second, but said he was proud of his own performance after struggling with oil on his front tyre during his final run.

“It’s amazing the lap time that we both made, a 46 on this track,” noted Lorenzo.

“The bikes every year are faster and faster and the level of the riding is so high. It’s always very difficult to beat Marquez on a single lap.”

A last gasp effort from Andrea Iannone proved good enough for third on the lead Ducati, much to the delight of the Italian.

Iannone dislocated his shoulder when he fell while training last week, less than four months after suffering the same injury during a testing crash at Mugello.

“It was difficult but I tried my best and for me it was incredible, this performance,” he said.

“With the shoulder I have a lot of pain in the best lap when I was pushing very hard. I’m very happy for this result.”

Iannone bumped Pol Espargaro onto the second row, which the Tech 3 Yamaha rider will share with Dani Pedrosa and championship leader Valentino Rossi.

Rossi was a full three quarters of a second adrift of team-mate Lorenzo as the veteran struggled for single-lap pace.

Aleix Espargaro, Cal Crutchlow, Danilo Petrucci and Bradley Smith completed the top 10, while Australian Jack Miller will line-up 20th.

Result: MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon, Qualifying