VINALES TOP QAT

MAVERICK VINALES will start tonight’s opening Qatar round of World MotoGP from pole position after last night’s qualifying was washed out by a desert storm.

The Spaniard, on debut for Movistar Yamaha, broke the Losail Circuit record in free practice on Thursday with a lap of 1min 54.316secs.

Andrea Iannone, who took over from Vinales at Suzuki, joins him at the front of the grid with reigning champ Marc Marquez completing the front row for Repsol Honda.

DAVE FERN