Spain’s triple MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo will start his last race for Yamaha on pole position after demolishing the lap record in qualifying for the Valencia season-ender, yesterday.

Lorenzo lapped the Ricardo Tormo circuit in one minute 29.401 seconds, well inside his 2015 record of 1:30.011, with compatriot and fellow triple champion Marc Marquez the only rider close to him.

Honda’s Marquez was still three tenths of a second off Lorenzo’s pace, with Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi completing the front row of the grid in 1:30.128.

Lorenzo is moving to Ducati next season with Spaniard Maverick Vinales replacing him. The Suzuki rider was fourth fastest yesterday.

Marquez’s team-mate Dani Pedrosa qualified eighth, a month after the Spaniard broke his collarbone, leg and foot in a crash in Japan.

“When I pushed a little bit in the second free practice and I did a one minute 30.4, I imagined going 1:29.9, 29.8 but not this 29.4, for sure,” Lorenzo said.

“It’s unbelievable how far we can go when it’s time to make the perfect lap.”

Top positions
1. Marquez (Spain) Honda 278 pts; 2. Rossi (Italy) Yamaha 236; 3. Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha 208; 4. Vinales (Spain) Suzuki 191; 5. Dovizioso (Italy) Ducati 162; 6. Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 155; 7. Crutchlow (Britain) Honda 141.

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