Jorge Lorenzo will start from pole in Sunday's San Marino MotoGP after the Yamaha rider clocked the quickest time and a track record in an electric qualifying performance on Saturday.
Spain's two-time former champion, who trails Italian teammate Valentino Rossi by 12 points in the 2015 title race, has compatriot Marc Marquez, on a Honda, and Rossi for company on the front row.
Lorenzo has proved hard to catch so far at the Misano circuit, posting a record time for the track in final practice, earlier Saturday, before bettering his mark when it counted in qualifying.
He claimed his third pole of the season and the 33rd of his career in MotoGP with a time of 1min 32.146sec on his second run.
He was irked by nine-time champion Rossi having looked on for a 1:31 on his third run only to be slowed by Rossi riding slowly on the racing line.
Marquez, who held the previous track record of 1:32.915, took second spot, just over a tenth of a second slower than Lorenzo with Rossi, who has finished on the podium in every one of the 12 races so far this season, at 0.212sec in third spot.
The second row is occupied by Marquez' Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa, the Ducati of Michele Pirro, and Bradley Smith's Yamaha.
The race looks set up for Lorenzo's fourth win at the circuit after taking the honours in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
The Moto2 pole went to championship trailblazer Johann Zarco of France, on a Kalex, with Italy's Enea Bastianini (Honda) heading the grid in Moto3.
AFP
