Moto3 Valencia: Brilliant Binder takes first pole position
Darryn Binder shone after a rain shower before the start of qualifying to take pole after coming through Q1 with a record lap ahead of the Moto3 Grand Prix in Valencia.
A first for the South African, he bagged his pole time on his penultimate lap before the chequered flag. The CIP Green Power rider gained so much time from his run with the Sky bikes on track that his slingshot past Andrea Migno brought him a new record lap of Ricardo Tormo for the class - 1m 38.286s.
A revitalised Kaito Toba came closest to dethoning the number 40 - his final effort came up just 0.043s shy of the pole time.
Last weekend’s race winner Raul Fernandez found himself on the front row again after circulating with his Red Bull Ajo teammate Toba, creating an all KTM top three in the process.
Jaume Masia also made late gains to move into fourth for Leopard Racing, the top Honda in Q2.
A last run around the track together saw Celestino Vietti drop a place to ninth as he put out a tow for Andrea Migno, allowing his Sky Racing Team VR46 teammate to climb from 17th to fifth.
Ai Ogura had lead for much of the session, looking to have regained the form he had displayed earlier in the season before his recent dip. Honda Team Asia fed him out in front of championship leader Albert Arenas for the final time assault. Arenas had needed to come up from Q1 which he did with the top time. While gaining a mental advantage of being ahead on track the Japanese rider was slipping down the standings as he concentrated on Arenas and not his time.
Meanwhile, the Spaniard, who was handed a black flag in the last race for his actions in the lead group, saw his last chance at a fast lap slipping away. The Gaviota Aspar rider dived around and past Ogura, then made up a lot of time in the final sector to climb to sixth, pushing Ogura back to seventh.
Tatsuki Suzuki was as high as second before slipping back to eighth for SIC58 Squadra Corse, spending much of his time shadowing Ogura on track.
Vietti fills ninth on the grid, with Niccolo Antonelli doing enough on the second SIC58 bike to complete the top ten.
Denis Oncu (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) came through Q1 for 11th, with Yuki Kunii (Honda Team Asia) enjoying one of his best qualifying performances this season in 12th.
Tony Arbolino had lead the way after the three practice sessions but lacked speed when it mattered most, he will line up 13th for Rivacold Snipers.
Romano Fenati was the top Husqvarna rider in 14th for Sterilgarda Max Racing, one place ahead of Jeremy Alcoba, who was the best of the rookies once again in 15th for Kommerling Gresini.
John McPhee was on pole just last weekend at the same track but this time out he was unable to make an impact, leaving him 16th for Petronas Sprinta Racing.
Alonso Lopez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) lead the way for much of the first half of qualifying with a fast early lap in the wet, but was swamped late on to drop out of the progression places, leaving him 21st on the grid.
Falls for Jason Dupasquier, a double off for Carlos Tatay and a spectacular launch for Dennis Foggia hampered progress in the tricky conditions of Q1.
Both Carlos Tatay and Gabriel Rodrigo were left with no time left to their names after crashes in Q1. Rodrigo was collected by Rossi, who moved into Q2 after returning to set the second best time in the first qualifying session. The Italian Starts 18th.
Filip Salac was declared unfit to continue the race weekend after sustaining a chest injury in his FP1 crash.
