Image: Supplied.

Ducati Team’s Jorge Lorenzo led Australian Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) in the race for the 2018 MotoGP pole position at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in a record-breaking session.

Lorenzo seared around the venue in a 1m31.629s to lower his own fastest lap-time and secure Ducati’s first pole at the venue since 2008.

Miller put in a stunner at his Ducati team’s home race to take second and qualify as top Independent Team rider, with Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) locking out the front row after a last lunge for the front.

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), top qualifier this season so far, did not make it onto the front row – he crashed. Lorenzo’s ominous form was certainly a key headline, but the drama for the championship leader lit up the session. Crashing on his second run in a relatively fast low-side, the number 93 was straight to his feet without pause.

Once back in the paddock on the back of a scooter, he hit the ground running again to run through his Repsol Honda garage from front to back, straight back on his other machine and heading back out. He’ll line up fifth, which is his worst qualifying in the premier class in San Marino.

Marquez will have some serious company in the form of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), who’s just alongside him in fourth, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) sixth. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) heads up the third row, from Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) and Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3).

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was 10th fastest and top Hamamatsu machine after teammate Andrea Iannone just failed to make it through to Q2 – he starts P13 – with two-time Misano winner Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) in P11. Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) completes the top 12.

Behind Iannone, wildcard compatriot Michele Pirro (Ducati Test Team) took P14 after a crash hampered his chances in Q1 and Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) completed the top 15.

Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) sealed his first back-to-back pole positions in GP racing after setting an unmatchable 1m37.121s in Moto2, with Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) completing the front row. Tech3 Racing’s Remy Gardner will start from P19.

Another weekend, another pole position. Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) secured his 17th Moto3 pole in fine style at Misano, smashing the lap record to spearhead the lightweight class, with Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider) second and Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) third.

Detailed results