Mattia Pasini will start on pole for the first time in 10 years after clinching top spot in a tight Czech Grand Prix qualifying.
The Italtrans rider has been on strong form all weekend, ending Friday’s running fastest of all, while missing top spot in final practice by just three tenths of a second in seventh.
Keen to make his mark early, the Italian shot to the top of the timesheets in the opening stages with a 2m02.611s as he sought his first pole since the 2007 Australian 125cc Grand Prix.
The lap went unchallenged for much of the session, with KTM’s Miguel Oliveira and championship leader Franco Morbidelli only putting Pasini under threat in the dying seconds.
However, the pair missed out by just 0.032 seconds and 0.50s respectively, while Francesco Baganaia slotted into fourth 0.075s adrift.
Jorge Navarro will start alongside his fellow Moto2 rookie in fifth, with Alex Marquez battling through the pain of a back fracture sustained in Germany to complete the second row.
Luca Marini heads row three on his Forward Kalex, while team-mate Lorenzo Baldassarri will launch from 19th after a late fall at Turn 1.
Sandro Cortese has continued the strong form he showed at his home round before the summer break and will start eighth, with Simone Corsi rounding out the third row.
Corsi was involved in a tangle with Dominique Aegerter in the opening minutes of qualifying, Aegerter sliding into the gravel trap at Turn 7. The Swiss rider rejoined and took the chequered flag in 21st.
Brad Binder – who was announced on Saturday as remaining with Ajo KTM next season along with Oliveira – completed the top 10, with Fabio Quartararo close behind in a respectable 11th.
Tom Luthi looked all out of sorts in qualifying and could only manage a 2m03.214s for 12th, while Khairul Idham Pawi put in the best Saturday performance of his rookie Moto2 campaign in 13th ahead of Axel Pons and team-mate Takaaki Nakagami.
