Italy’s heroic nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) snatched pole position for the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley in what was a frantic final qualifying session.

The Doctor put in an electric 1m46.203s to take to the top, ahead of Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) – only 0.035s off pole – and Q1 graduate Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP).

Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) took P4 after leading the way for much of the weekend and just shuffled out in the incredible hot lap shootout. He’s just ahead of top Independent Team rider Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing), with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) sixth.

One on attempt, Marquez had been almost half a second up by halfway round the lap, but it wasn’t to be. Losing time, the championship leader wasn’t able to put it all together and push himself up the order, despite an impressive save around the final corner in classic self-named style.

He’s in good company, however, with key rival and 2017 Mugello winner Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) in seventh. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) and Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) make for two more riders looking for more on Sunday as they start eight and ninth, with the top 10 completed by Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar).

Second Q1 graduate Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) will be gunning for his ninth consecutive top 10 result from P11 on the grid, with top rookie Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) in P12 after his first automatic graduation to Q2 at his home race.

In contrasting fortunes, it’s been a tough weekend so far for former Mugello winner Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who’s not yet back to fully fit and will be starting the Italian GP in P20.

Last year’s Moto2 winner Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) carried his Saturday morning form into qualifying as the Italian shot to pole position for his home race, heading Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact GP) by just 0.030s, as Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) rounds out the front row of the grid in third.

In Moto3, Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) kept his awesome record in qualifying, taking provisional pole and then bettering that on his final run to end the session 0.190s ahead of Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing), who locked out the front row for Japan.

Detailed results