Marquez takes pole at Le Mans

Le Mans - Marc Marquez will start his sixth MotoGP race in succession from pole having taken the coveted grid slot with a new lap record at Le Mans.

The reigning World Champion has been unbeatable this season, taking all four pole positions leading up to the French MotoGP to go with the one at Valencia to finish last year's campaign.

He did not hang around at the Le Mans circuit on Saturday afternoon as he opened his account with a 1:32.567. That was not only four-tenths up on Jorge Lorenzo's first run but it was also almost a tenth quicker than the circuit record set in 2008.

Marquez, though, didn't let it rest there and on his second run shaved half a second off his previous best to post a 1:32.042, taking pole by 0.692s.

Behind him the battle raged for second with Pol Espargaro claiming the position, his best grid slot in his debut season with Yamaha Tech 3, while Andrea Dovizioso completed the front row of the grid.

Stefan Bradl, despite having undergone an arm pump operation less than two weeks ago, was fourth ahead of Valentino Rossi and the Italian's Yamaha teammate Lorenzo. The latter finished the afternoon 0.857s behind Marquez.

Alvaro Bautista was seventh ahead of Aleix Espargaro, who had to come through Q1 to book his place in the qualifying shoot-out, and Dani Pedrosa.

Times

01 Marc MARQUEZ Repsol Honda Team 1'32.042
02 Pol ESPARGARO Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1'32.734 +0.692
03 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati Team 1'32.755 +0.713
04 Stefan BRADL LCR Honda MotoGP 1'32.846 +0.804
05 Valentino ROSSI Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1'32.873 +0.831
06 Jorge LORENZO Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1'32.899 +0.857
07 Alvaro BAUTISTA GO&FUN Honda Gresini 1'33.006 +0.964
08 Aleix ESPARGARO NGM Forward Racing 1'33.015 +0.973
09 Dani PEDROSA Repsol Honda Team 1'33.023 +0.981
10 Bradley SMITH Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1'33.058 +1.016
11 Andrea IANNONE Pramac Racing 1'33.102 +1.060
12 Cal CRUTCHLOW Ducati Team 1'33.315 +1.273
13 Nicky HAYDEN Drive M7 Aspar 1'33.859
14 Yonny HERNANDEZ Energy T.I. Pramac Racing 1'33.999
15 Colin EDWARDS NGM Forward Racing 1'34.203
16 Scott REDDING GO&FUN Honda Gresini 1'34.233
17 Hiroshi AOYAMA Drive M7 Aspar 1'34.457
18 Karel ABRAHAM Cardion AB Motoracing 1'34.880
19 Hector BARBERA Avintia Racing 1'35.499
20 Broc PARKES Paul Bird Motorsport 1'35.795
21 Michael LAVERTY Paul Bird Motorsport 1'35.932
22 Mike DI MEGLIO Avintia Racing 1'36.163