Crutchlow storms to Spanish pole

Cal Crutchlow produced a record-breaking lap to claim his first pole since 2016 at the Spanish Grand Prix.

The LCR Honda rider set a new pole lap record on the resurfaced Jerez circuit to book his place at the front of the grid, having last qualified fastest at Silverstone two years ago.

Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa, who won this race for the third time in 2017, will start second despite his ongoing recovery from a broken wrist sustained in Argentina, while Johann Zarco was third fastest.

Defending champion Marc Marquez could not match the performance of team-mate Pedrosa and starts fifth after a flying lap that looked promising until fizzling out in the final sector.

Championship leader Andrea Dovizioso went fastest in Q1 but was unable to carry that momentum into the final shootout, settling for eighth.

And it proved to be a difficult day for Movistar Yamaha, as Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales qualified 10th and 11th respectively.

 

PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda): 1:37.653
2. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) 1:37.912
3. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) 1:37.956
4. Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati) 1:37.969
5. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) 1:37.977
6. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) 1:37.984
7. Andrea Iannone (Suzuki Ecstar) 1:37.987
8. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) 1:38.029
9. Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac) 1:38.086
10. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) 1:38.267