Jerez: Lorenzo sets new lap record to claim pole

Jorge Lorenzo on the limit

Movistar Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo sent the Spanish fans into rapture by setting a 1'37.910, the only time anyone has ever been under the 1'38 mark on two wheels at the Spanish circuit, beating Marc Marquez previous record from last year by over two-tenths of a second.

Despite track temperatures reaching over 50 degrees the Spaniard, showing renewed determination in Jerez, led from the outset and never looked like missing out on pole. Marc Marquez will start from second on the grid after riding through the pain once more with his broken finger to finish 0.390s behind Lorenzo.

Ducati Team’s Andrea Iannone (+0.558s) outshone his teammate to start from the front row, while Pol Espargaro was the leading satellite rider on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 M1 and will start from the head of the second row.

Current Championship leader Valentino Rossi (+0.722s) will start the race from fifth, with the Team Suzuki Ecstar GSX-RR of Aleix Espargaro (+0.728s) only six-thousandths of a second further back in 6th.

CWM LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow heads the third row in front of the second Ducati Team GP 15 of Andrea Dovizioso and Pramac Racings Yonny Hernandez.

Bradley Smith completes the top ten, ahead of Scott Redding (11th) and Danilo Petrucci (12th).

Earlier it was the Pramac Racing duo of Petrucci and Hernandez who made it through from Q1, while Hector Barbera on the Avintia Racing Ducati will start the race from 13th on the grid as the leading Open class rider.

Results