Posted on 8th May 2017
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) took an incredible pole position in qualifying for the Gran Premio Red Bull de Espa̱a, taking to the top in the final minutes of the session and teammate Marc Marquez unable to depose him on his last lap. Pedrosa was fastest on Friday and on Saturday in FP3, and is on the charge at his first home race of the year Рwhere he is already a multiple winner. Behind Marquez is Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), completing the front row in a Honda 1-2-3.
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Maverick Viñales took fourth to head up the second row ahead of Q1 graduate and comeback king Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar), with rookie Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) in sixth.
Fourteen world titles start the Spanish GP from the third row, with Championship leader Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) in seventh just ahead of Ducati Team's Jorge Lorenzo only 0.002 back. Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) is ninth in another solid showing for the German rookie.
Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) backed up his Friday pace with direct entry to Q2 and a top ten start despite a crash, with Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) in eleventh and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) in P12.
Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) starts P13 from Q1, ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and a stunning display from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Pol Espargaro to complete the top fifteen, just ahead of teammate Bradley Smith.
The lights go out for the incredible Spanish GP at Jerez on Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +2) – with Pedrosa on pole for the first time since Sepang 2015.
Photos courtesy of motogp.com
