Zarco wins first MotoGP pole at Assen

Zarco charges to pole in rain
Zarco charges to pole in rain

Qualifying day at the Dutch TT dawned wet as expected, with all of the day’s sessions affected by rain to greater or lesser extents. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) took his first ever premier class pole position at the Dutch GP, dueling it out with reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as the final few seconds ticked down. Marquez crossed the line first and first – but the Frenchman almost immediately hit back to take his first MotoGP pole on his final lap.

Marquez set the third fastest time in FP3 on a wet track and the seventh fastest in FP4 in mixed conditions before attaining a very important front-row start position during qualifying, on a wet-but-drying surface.

Marquez set a series of fastest laps throughout the 15-minute stint and was pushed off provisional pole only by Johann Zarco at the very end, by just 0.065 seconds.

Zarco's Assen heroics also make it the first French pole since Olivier Jacque in 2002. Another superstar in the battle was Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing), who followed up his first ever front row in the Catalan GP by repeating the feat in the Netherlands in very different conditions.

Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) looked a contender for the top spot until his final sector, and although missing out the ‘Doctor’ will head the second row and has good scope to attack. Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) starts a season-best fifth after graduating from Q1 and topping FP3 despite a low drama crash, and Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completes Row 2 in another impressive session from another rider with a reputation for excellence in the rain.

From left, Marquez, Zarco and
From left, Marquez, Zarco and Petrucci

Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) crossed the line in P7 ahead of LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) completing the third row.

Sam Lowes (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) made the most of his first ever Q2 appearance, taking a top ten start to head up Row 4 – and ahead of Championship leader Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP). Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) was P12.

Those not making it through now decide the rest of the grid, with 2016 Assen winner Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) locking out the fastest fifteen.

Qualifying Results (Wet Session)

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 ZARCO Johann 5 FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'46.141
2 MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'46.206
3 PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA Octo Pramac Racing Ducati 1'46.526
4 ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 1'46.705
5 REDDING Scott 45 GBR Octo Pramac Racing Ducati 1'47.574
6 FOLGER Jonas 94 GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'47.663
7 BAUTISTA Alvaro 19 SPA Pull&Bear Aspar Team Ducati 1'47.812
8 CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR LCR Honda Honda 1'48.042
9 DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA Ducati Team Ducati 1'48.079
10 LOWES Sam 22 GBR Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 1'48.128
11 VINALES Maverick 25 SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 1'48.266
12 PEDROSA Dani 26 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'49.623
13 MILLER Jack 43 AUS Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 1'47.217-Q1
14 BAZ Loris 76 FRA Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 1'47.234-Q1
15 ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 1'47.277-Q1
16 IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 1'47.649-Q1
17 RINS Alex 42 SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 1'47.804-Q1
18 ABRAHAM Karel 17 CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team Ducati 1'47.947-Q1
19 ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 1'47.957-Q1
20 BARBERA Hector 8 SPA Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 1'48.080-Q1
21 LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA Ducati Team Ducati 1'48.219-Q1
22 SMITH Bradley 38 GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 1'48.448-Q1
23 RABAT Tito 53 SPA Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 1'48.700-Q1