As qualifying got underway at the Phillip Island track in Australia for the 15th round of the MotoGP season, it was Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo who clinched his third pole position of the season.
With Marc Marquez in second place the 20-year-old Spaniard will be able to secure his first MotoGP world title if he ends the race with a point advantage of 51 or more. Taking third place was Lorenzo’s Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi.
Starting the second row in fourth was GO&FUN Honda Gresini rider Alvaro Bautista. Marquez’s Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa will be hoping to take another win after winning last time out in Sepang to keep his title hopes alive. Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Cal Crutchlow will start from sixth with team-mate Bradley smith following on in seventh. The Ducati team of Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso claimed eighth and ninth spot.
Taking tenth place was Energy T.I. Racing’s Andrea Iannone who had a disagreement in Q1 with Power Electronic Aspar’s Aleix Espargaro. LCR Honda rider Stefan Bradl will not take any further part in the Australian GP weekend having tried to return after surgery on his right broken ankle the German only managed Friday’s free practice, but it seems the fractured ankle has hindered him more than he expected. By Laura Turner
