Source: MotoGP

Honda’s Marc Marquez has collected his fourth pole position from as many starts in 2014, with a late strategy change paying dividends in what is his 100th grand prix appearance at Jerez in Spain.

High track temperatures saw Repsol Honda bank on a three-tyre strategy for the frenetic 15 minute Q2 session, with Marquez delivering in the dying stages to rewrite the previous 1m38.120 benchmark set by Jorge Lorenzo in 2008.

The achievement marks the Spanish rider’s 13th pole position from 22 races in the premier class.

Starting alongside him will be countryman and rival Lorenzo, who continues to recover from a slow start to his season.

The Movistar Yamaha rider set his fast lap early and could do little to stop Marquez whose pole effort was 0.421 seconds clear.

Like his teammate, Dani Pedrosa was able to produce a solid lap towards the end of the session, securing grid position three for Repsol Honda.

The second factory Yamaha of Valentino Rossi had been running third but was bumped back to a second row start by Pedrosa.

Aleix Espargaro retained his Friday pace for fifth on the first Open class machine, the NGM Mobile Forward Yamaha, with Andrea Dovizioso slotting his Ducati into sixth.

LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl and the Monster Tech3 Yamaha pairing of Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith were separated by barely a tenth of a second and will occupy berths seven to nine on row three.

Alvaro Bautista completes the top 10 for Gresini Honda at an important home race.

Australia’s Broc Parkes qualified 23rd on his Paul Bird Motorsport machine, locking in a start on the eighth row.

After a solid start to his season, Parkes will be eyeing another consistent run is certain to make forwards progress in race trim.

It was another pole for the Marc VDS team in Moto2, but this time the accolades went the way of Finn Mika Kallio with a 1m42.766 lap, 0.294 seconds clear of Dynavolt Intact GP’s Sandro Cortese.

Moto3 graduate Luis Salom was a strong third for Pons HP 40, completing the front row.

Thom Luthi and Dominique Aegerter flew the flag for Swiss riders in fourth and fifth, with points leader Esteve Rabat rounding out the second row.

Jonas Folger, Maverick Vinales and Marcel Schrotter snared spots on row three, with Johann Zarco rounding out the top 10, just 0.747 seconds off Kallio’s time.

Ant West will need to deliver another strong ride tomorrow after qualifying his QMMF Racing Team bike in 24th place.

Another stellar showing from Jack Miller sees him take his third pole position in a row, making history as the first Aussie to do so in the lower grand prix classes.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider recovered from a slow start on Friday to find his customary pace come Saturday morning.

In qualifying he broke away from the pack and broke the lap record in the process, with his 1m46.173 effort placing him an incredible 0.615 seconds clear of Niccolo Antonelli in second.

Miller will be gunning for a fourth consecutive podium on Sunday and is again in the box seat to challenge for the win.

Honda’s Alex Rins sits alongside Antonelli on the front row, with Isaac Vinales, Alex Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia in positions three through six respectively.

Efren Vazquez, Niklas Ajo and John McPhee will head up row three, with Argentina winner Romano Fenati rounding out the top 10, 1.205 seconds off Miller’s blazing pole record.

Arthur Sissis lapped 2.040 seconds off his countryman’s effort to qualify his Mahindra Racing mount in 25th place.

2014 MotoGP World Championship
Round four – Jerez, Spain

MotoGP qualifying results:
1. Marc MARQUEZ 1m38.120
2. Jorge LORENZO 1m38.541
3. Dani PEDROSA 1m38.630
4. Valentino ROSSI 1m38.857
5. Aleix ESPARGARO 1m39.007
6. Andrea DOVIZIOSO 1m39.222
7. Stefan BRADL 1m39.243
8. Pol ESPARGARO 1m39.293
9. Bradley SMITH 1m39.390
10. Alvaro BAUTISTA 1m39.751
13. Broc PARKES (AUS) 1m41.702

Moto2 qualifying results:
1. Mika KALLIO 1m42.766
2. Sandro CORTESE 1m43.060
3. Luis SALOM 1m43.174
4. Thomas LUTHI 1m43.222
5. Dominique AEGERTER 1m43.233
6. Esteve RABAT 1m43.234
7. Jonas FOLGER 1m43.235
8. Maverick VIÑALES 1m43.256
9. Marcel SCHROTTER 1m43.501
10. Johann ZARCO 1m43.513
24. Anthony WEST (AUS) 1m44.438

Moto3 qualifying results:
1. Jack MILLER (AUS) 1m46.173
2. Niccolò ANTONELLI 1m46.788
3. Alex RINS 1m46.867
4. Isaac VIÑALES 1m46.867
5. Alex MARQUEZ 1m46.884
6. Francesco BAGNAIA 1m47.012
7. Efren VAZQUEZ 1m47.049
8. Niklas AJO 1m47.262
9. John MCPHEE 1m47.329
10. Romano FENATI 1m47.378
25. Arthur SISSIS (AUS) 1m48.213

Click here for detailed results