Magnificent Martin snatches late pole

The Spaniard left it late, beating Kornfeil and Bastianini to the top spot

For the third time in 2018, Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) will start the Moto3™ race from pole position after putting in a magnificent final run to take top spot at the HJC Helmets Grand Prix de France. Jakub Kornfeil (Redox PrustelGP) continued his great weekend, leaping up the timesheets at the end of the session to start from P2 on his 150th Grand Prix start. After a heavy fall at the start of the session, walking wounded Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) put in a valiant effort to start from third in Sunday’s race.

Despite the perfect weather conditions, there were several early crashes in the session. Bastianini high sided at Turn 6, with rookie Jaume Masia (Bester Capital Dubai) suffering the same fate at Turn 4. Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider) high sided coming onto the home straight – the Argentine took no further part in the session, and was taken to the medical centre for a checkup.

The times weren’t threatening the circuit lap record until Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) struck with 12 minutes to go, which set the scene for a barnstorming final ten minutes. Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai) briefly took over at the front, before Bastianini went quickest. However, when the riders came out for their final run, it was Martin who took control – his 1:42.039 proved to be unbeatable.

Ramirez took P4 and heads the second row of the grid. Albert Arenas (Angel Nieto Team Moto3), another crasher early on, came back out strongly to take P5 on the grid. Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PrustelGP) – who crashed at Turn 7 mid way through the session – starts sixth, as he searches for his second win of the season.

Friday’s fastest man Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) starts seventh on is Honda machine, with Di Giannantonio and Andrea Migno (Angel Nieto Team Moto3) joining him on the third row of the grid.

Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) was tenth quickest, however he’ll start tomorrow's race from the back of the grid, so everyone behind the Spaniard will move up a place. This means Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) rounds out the top ten, with Jerez winner Philipp Oettl (Sudmetal Schedl GP Racing) P11 and the injured Darryn Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) an encouraging P12.

Both CIP – Green Power bikes of John McPhee and Makar Yurchenko both crashed in the session – riders ok. Adam Norrodin (Petronas Sprinta Racing) suffered a huge crash late in the session, the Malaysian rider luckily walked away.

The Moto3™ class will go racing at 11:00 local time (GMT +2), don’t miss it!

Click here for the full results!