Zarco set the fastest time of 1:57.767s to pip Maverick Vinales of Aprilia by 0.098s and claim his second pole of the season, while Ducati’s Jack Miller finished third.

Vinales’ teammate Espargaro was stretchered away from the track after crashing in the final practice session earlier today and taken for medical checks.

Espargaro was soon declared fit to ride despite suffering some bruising to his right foot and returned for Q2, producing the first new lap record of the day with 1:57.966s to take provisional pole.

He found himself shuffled back to sixth, however, as title rival and Yamaha’s reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo briefly went pole before Miller snatched it away, with Zarco eventually steering clear after a late surge from Vinales.

Quartararo was pushed back to the second row and will start in fourth place, with Miller’s Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia in fifth.