Marquez is fastest in Australian MotoGP

Phillip Island (Australia), Oct. 21: World championship leader Marc Marquez snatched pole position and left title rival Andrea Dovizioso in his wake in the final seconds of qualifying for the Australian MotoGP.

Triple world champion Marquez grabbed his 44th pole in his 88th MotoGP with a best lap time of one minute 28.386 seconds at Phillip Island, while Ducati’s Dovizioso struggled to 11th fastest.

The Spanish Honda rider, who leads Dovizioso by 11 points with three rounds left, will start on the inside of the grid, alongside his compatriot Maverick Vinales and Johann Zarco.

Dovizioso will be hoping Marquez continues to have his moments around the fast, sweeping Phillip Island track.

Marquez crashed out of last year’s race while leading and already crowned world champion. He also came off his Honda bike during the 2014 race.

“We will see the feeling with the bike, it is important at the start that I warm the tyres well and we will see which rear tyres we will choose,” Marquez said.

Zarco looked set to repeat the feat when he hit the front before Vinales and Marquez in turn claimed the best lap time in the final moments of qualifying.

“We want to push from the beginning of the race so off the front is a good place to be,” Vinales said.

“We hope for a dry race, we know in the wet we are not at the level of the others,” he added.

Andrea Iannone (Suzuki), Australian Jack Miller (Honda) and Pol Espargaro (KTM) will start off the second row of the grid.