Nico Terol storms to pole position for 125cc Czech Grand Prix
Nico Terol took his fifth pole position of the year with a commanding performance in qualifying for the 125cc Czech Grand Prix at Brno
The world championship leader had been embroiled in a mid-session battle with his nearest title rival Johann Zarco, but grabbed pole for good on what was his first clear lap with 12 minutes of the session remaining.
The Aspar Aprilia rider then improved his mark three more times to secure the top spot - and his sixth career pole - in 2m08.118s, a sizeable 0.385s clear of Zarco's Ajo Derbi.
Category veteran Sandro Cortese continued his good recent qualifying form with the third fastest time on his Racing Team Germany Aprilia, while the second row was completed by Hector Faubel's Aspar Aprilia, Luis Salom's RW Aprilia and Zarco's team-mate Efren Vazquez.
Britain's Danny Kent, riding an Aprilia for the Ajo squad, claimed a career-best seventh spot as he squeezed ahead of Alberto Moncayo (Andalucia Banca Civica Aprilia) right at the end of the session.
Maverick Vinales (Busens Aprilia), who has been on the podium for five of the last six races, was a disappointing ninth, but denied himself a chance of qualifying higher by crashing with a few minutes left.
Simone Grotzki (Phonica Aprilia) completed the top 10 and equaled his season's best grid spot in the process. Pos Rider Team/Bike Time Gap
1. Nicolas Terol Aspar Aprilia 2m08.118s
2. Johann Zarco Ajo Derbi 2m08.503s + 0.385s
3. Sandro Cortese Germany Aprilia 2m08.638s + 0.520s
4. Hector Faubel Aspar Aprilia 2m08.689s + 0.571s
5. Luis Salom RW Aprilia 2m09.125s + 1.007s
6. Efren Vazquez Ajo Derbi 2m09.189s + 1.071s
7. Danny Kent Ajo Aprilia 2m09.211s + 1.093s
8. Alberto Moncayo Andalucia Aprilia 2m09.421s + 1.303s
9. Maverick Vinales Blusens Aprilia 2m09.458s + 1.340s
10. Simone Giorgi Phonica Aprilia 2m09.590s + 1.472s
11. Sergio Gadea Blusens Aprilia 2m09.865s + 1.747s
12. Alexis Masbou Caretta KTM 2m10.197s + 2.079s
13. Adrian Martin Aspar Aprilia 2m10.200s + 2.082s
14. Niklas Ajo TT Motion Aprilia 2m10.270s + 2.152s
15. Zulfahmi Khairuddin Ajo Derbi 2m10.372s + 2.254s
16. Jasper Iwema Ongetta Aprilia 2m10.450s + 2.332s
17. Miguel Oliveira Andalucia Aprilia 2m10.483s + 2.365s
18. Luigi Morciano Italia FMI Aprilia 2m10.771s + 2.653s
19. Louis Rossi Matteoni Aprilia 2m10.828s + 2.710s
20. Jakub Kornfeil Ongetta Aprilia 2m10.985s + 2.867s
21. Sturla Fagerhaug WTR-Ten10 Aprilia 2m11.189s + 3.071s
22. Danny Webb Mahindra 2m11.253s + 3.135s
23. Marcel Schrotter Mahindra 2m11.255s + 3.137s
24. Francesco Mauriello WTR-Ten10 Aprilia 2m11.628s + 3.510s
25. Alessandro Tonucci Italia FMI Aprilia 2m11.740s + 3.622s
26. Luca Gruenwald Freudenberg KTM 2m11.890s + 3.772s
27. Mirolsav Popov Ellegi Aprilia 2m12.084s + 3.966s
28. Joan Perello Matteoni Aprilia 2m12.419s + 4.301s
29. Giulian Pedone Phonica Aprilia 2m12.602s + 4.484s
30. Taylor Mackenzie Phonica Aprilia 2m12.621s + 4.503s
31. Harry Stafford Ongetta Aprilia 2m12.637s + 4.519s
32. Manuel Tatasciore Phonica Aprilia 2m13.226s + 5.108s
33. Ladislav Chmelik RJR Aprilia 2m13.387s + 5.269s
34. Peter Sebestyen Caretta KTM 2m16.447s + 8.329s
35. Jakub Jantulik AMK Brno Honda 2m18.622s + 10.504s
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