MotoGP 2017: Vinales beats Rossi to pole for Italian Grand Prix

Championship leader Maverick Vinales grabs pole, ahead of home hero Valentino Rossi and Andrea Dovizioso at Mugello. 

Movistar Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales stormed to pole at the Italian Grand Prix, ahead of teammate Valentino Rossi and Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso.

Vinales set the fastest lap of 1m46.575s during the closing stages of the qualifying session. However, it wasn’t Rossi who was second fastest today behind Vinales, instead, it was Octo Pramac Ducati’s Danillo Petrucci who clocked the second fastest lap of the session. But, Petrucci was found to be exceeding track limits on his best lap, which meant his lap time was cancelled and he was demoted to ninth spot. This promoted Rossi and Dovizioso to the front row.

Ducati’s test rider Michele Pirro grabbed fourth place and he’ll be leading the Repsol Honda duo of Dani Pedrosa (fifth) and Marc Marquez (sixth), who was unfortunately held by Johann Zarco on his flying lap, on the second row. Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo will start seventh and will be joined by Alvaro Bautista (eight) and Petrucci. Tito Rabat completes the top ten.

With 85 points in his kitty, Vinales currently leads the championship from Pedrosa (68) and Rossi (62).