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Red Bull Ring MotoGP qualifying

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An intriguing qualifying has set us up nicely for a thrilling Austrian Grand Prix.

That's all for now, thanks you so much for joining us. We hope you can come along for the ride again on Sunday.
What a difference a year makes. Iannone, the pole man and race winner from last year, will start 10th and was almost a second off of the pace.
Marquez has been in imperious form all weekend, but the Ducati threat is real. Vinales will fancy his chances from the head of the second row - his best qualifying result since he was on pole at Mugello.
Dovizioso jumps up to second on his final lap, while Lorenzo completes the front row. Vinales, Petrucci, Zarco, Rossi, Pedrosa, Crutchlow, Iannone, Abraham and Baz round out the top 12.
Marc Marquez takes his third successive pole of 2017 with a 1m23.235s.
Marquez sets a 1m23.235s - so close to the lap record.
Crutchlow has had that last lap cancelled for exceeding track limits. He is back to 12th. Lorenzo, meanwhile, has gone second.
Crutchlow muscles that Honda around to a 1m24.145s to go fifth.
Dovizioso set his 1m23.813s on the medium tyre and is having a fresh one fitted. Interesting strategy from Ducati.
Marquez fastest from Dovizioso, Vinales, Rossi, Petrucci, Lorenzo, Abraham, Iannone, Pedrosa, Baz, Crutchlow, Zarco. Seven minutes to go.
Vinales back up to second. He's gunning for his first front row since the Italian Grand Prix.
Marquez shoots to the top of the pile with a 1m23.473s - he's 0.611s clear of Rossi in second!
Abraham, on the two-year-old GP15, has gone top with a 1m24.323s.
Rossi leads the way with a 1m24.558s. It was at the Red Bull Ring in 1996 that Rossi scored his maiden podium in the 125cc class.
Lap record at the Red Bull Ring is a 1m23.142s, which was set by Iannone on the Ducati last year. Marquez's third practice-topping lap was a 1m23.459s.
Andrea Iannone will be at a big disadvantage this session. He suffered a mechanical issue at the end of fourth practice, so will have just one GSX-RR at his disposal.
Unlike last year, Ducati has not had a massive advantage at this circuit this weekend. Nevertheless, five Desmosedicis will contest this session.
The fight for pole is coming up in just a few moments. These are your Q2 runners:
Marquez
Zarco
Iannone
Lorenzo
Rossi
Dovizioso
Vinales
Baz
Abraham
Crutchlow
Petrucci
Pedrosa
Folger has had a tough weekend. He struggled with the new chassis he tested at Brno last week, so much so that he reverted back to the older version for today. With just two sessions to set it up, perhaps it isn't a surprise to see him miss Q2 in 13th.
Scott Redding will be happier with 15th this weekend having qualified last in the previous two races.
Interesting to see that Pedrosa didn't find all that much time on the soft tyre compared to the medium. Only found about a tenth of a second.
Petrucci and Pedrosa will go through to Q2.

13th - 24th: Folger, Barbera, Redding, Pol Espargaro, Bautista, Kallio, Miller, Aleix Espargaro, Rins, Smith, Lowes and Rabat
Pedrosa stays second but improves his time. Pol Espargaro takes the chequered flag and is fifth at present.
Petrucci and Pedrosa were both on great laps, but both lost time in the third sector. Folger improves to fifth.
Petrucci fastest with a 1m23.754s, Pol Espargaro up to fourth.
Pedrosa has ditched the medium for a soft slick. He is not leaving anything to chance.
Most have headed back to the pits. Seven minutes left to go in this session. 1m23.924s is the benchmark from Pedrosa.
Pedrosa leads the way from Barbera, Redding, Kallio, Petrucci, Folger, P.Espargaro, Miller, Smith, Rins, A.Espargaro, Bautista, Rabat and Lowes.

By: Matt Beer

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