Cortese takes second career pole at Mugello

Sandro Cortese secured pole position for Sunday’s 125cc race at Mugello with a last-lap time of 1’58.315, to take the prime spot on the starting grid from Pol Espargaró. The Tuenti Racing rider had led the session and had a crash with ten minutes to go, and his time of 1’58.336 stood firm until Avant Mitsubishi Ajo rider Cortese beat him by 0.021s.

Bancaja Aspar team-mates Bradley Smith and World Championship leader Nico Terol will start from third and fourth place, as they completed the front row, both coming within three-tenths of the top time.

Randy Krummenacher (Stipa-Molenaar Racing), Marc Márquez (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport), Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX) and Efrén Vázquez (Tuenti Racing) will all be present on the second row after good qualification displays. Vázquez experienced a fall at the very end of the session.

Johann Zarco (WTR San Marino Team) and Tomoyoshi Koyama (Racing Team Germany) were inside the top ten, with British rider Danny Webb (Andalucia Cajasol) 13th. There were crashes for Adrián Martín (Team Aeroport de Castelló) and Luigi Morciano (Junior GP Racing).