MotoGP Phillip Island: Martin breaks nine year record for pole

Prima Pramac’s Jorge Martin celebrated pole position at Phillip Island after breaking namesake Lorenzo’s 2013 all-time lap record with a 1’27.767 effort.

Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez trailed the Ducati by just 0.013s with factory Lenovo rider Pecco Bagnaia completing the front row in the hotly contested session. Just two tenths of a second covering the top five by the end of play.

Qualifying kicked off with Aprilia’s Maverick Viñales having topped FP4 from Friday hero Johann Zarco and Mooney VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi while Marquez controlled the morning’s FP3 - from the second VR46 machine of Luca Marini.

Suzuki Ecstar’s returning Joan Mir set the Q1 pace with a 1’28.611 as Repsol Honda’s Pol Espargaro set his sights on the second promotion position. The Spaniard’s impressive pace - after third overall on Friday - dented as Gresini’s Enea Bastianini bettered overall to demote him out of contention. Zarco sat fourth from Tech3 local Remy Gardner before the Prima Pramac rider hit the top with a 1’28.498.

Mir and Espargaro were back in charge as the final runs fired up, the Honda leading the way by a tenth with Zarco 0.006s adrift of Q2 and two minutes left on the clock. Red sectors ignited as Zarco pushed for P1, the Frenchman securing the spoils with a 1’28.132 effort while Alex Rins claimed second two tenths back. Title-fighter Bastianini the last man to challenge with the Italian missing out on promotion by a mere 0.038s after meeting traffic as the chequered flag flew and set for a 13th place start in Sunday’s battle.

Martin was the man in charge as Q2 began. The Pramac rider setting a 1’28.112 on his first visit to the Australian circuit in the premier class, as just a tenth covered the entire top four in the opening