- Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) starts from pole for the fifth time in 2016. From his previous four poles this year he has only gone on to win the race once, which was at Misano.
- In second place on the grid is Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46), which is his fourth front row start in his rookie season in grand prix racing.
- Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA Racing) is starting from the front row for the first time in what will be his 40th grand prix start.
- Heading the second row is John McPhee (Peugeot MC Saxoprint), which is his best qualifying result since he started the final race of 2015 in Valencia from pole position.
- Livio Loi (RW Racing GP BV) starts from fifth place on the grid - his best qualifying result since he was in second place on the grid at the opening race of the year in Qatar.
- In seventh place on the grid is Darryn Binder (Platinum Bay Real Estate), his best grid position so far in grand prix racing and making it two South African riders in the top seven places on the grid - for the first time ever in the lightweight class.
- Winner of the last grand prix, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing Moto3), starts from 15th place on the grid – the first time since the Catalan GP that he has not been on the front row.