Marquez on pole for Catalunya MotoGP

CATALUNYA, Spain: Honda’s Marc Marquez took pole position for his home Catalunya MotoGP race on Saturday on an all-Spanish front row a day after compatriot Luis Salom’s fatal accident in Moto2 practice.

The double world champion lapped Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya in a best time of one minute 43.589 seconds for his third pole of the season.

Reigning champion and overall leader Jorge Lorenzo was second fastest on a Yamaha, nearly half a second slower.

Marquez’s teammate Dani Pedrosa was third, taking his highest grid position this year on a sunny afternoon with temperatures of around 25 degrees Celsius. Hector Barbera was fourth on a Ducati. Yamaha’s Italian Valentino Rossi will start fifth, the lone non-Spaniard in the top six.