---
title: "Valentino Rossi takes pole number 64 at Motegi"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2016/10/15/valentino-rossi-takes-pole-number-64-motegi/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Alex Murray"
section: "MotoGP News"
published: "2016-10-15T08:41:58Z"
modified: "2016-10-15T08:41:58Z"
---

# Valentino Rossi takes pole number 64 at Motegi

Valentino Rossi managed to beat out his championship rivals in a close affair to take pole position number 64 at Twin Ring Motegi.

Rossi managed to gain the advantage over championship leader Marc Marquez, who is still looking for his elusive first win at the Japanese circuit. The Repsol Honda rider will be hoping for better fortune in tomorrow’s race.

It all looked set for Marquez to storm to pole, after dominating throughout the early weekend sessions. However, a late incident for Cal Crutchlow saw the Spaniard run wide on his final lap, handing pole to Valentino.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2016/10/614546906.jpg)

Third place was Jorge Lorenzo, who was really riding through the pain barrier. The Yamaha rider suffered a major high-side in FP3 and was walking wounded as he entered Q2. However, the Spaniard was able to stick in an impressive lap time that gave him the final spot on the front row.

Andrea Dovizioso was the best of the rest, ending the session in fourth place. Cal Crutchlow was just behind him, with Aleix Espargaro completing the second row. Espargaro outpaced teammate Maverick Vinales, who will start just behind him on the third row in seventh place.

Hector Barbera, given the keys to the Factory Ducati this weekend due to the injury to Andrea Iannone, will start from eighth. Behind him, Danilo Petrucci and Pol Espargaro were the final riders inside the top ten.

Scott Redding and Alvaro Bautista finished eleventh and twelfth after both riders made it through from Q1. The first qualifying session saw Yamaha wildcard Katsuyuki Nakasuga finish sixteenth , Australian Mike Jones finishing 21st on the Avintia. Hiroshi Aoyama finished 22nd on Dani Pedrosa’s machine.

The Race gets underway at 6:00 BST, with Read Motorsport providing all your live coverage.