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Johann Zarco on 125cc Australian GP pole, despite late crash

Johann Zarco claimed his fourth pole position of the year, despite a heavy crash in the final minute of qualifying for the 125cc Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island

The Frenchman set three times that would have been good enough for pole on his Ajo Derbi, the best of them a 1m39.207s lap coming with 16 minutes remaining.

It meant that he didn't need to improve as he began his final flying lap in the last minute of the session. But he tried hard anyway; too hard, in fact, as he lost the front end of his bike at the uphill entry to Lukey Heights and fell.

Fortunately, for the man who is Nico Terol's only threat for the world championship, he was able to walk away from the accident. Jakub Kornfeil, who took to the grass in avoidance, was not so lucky as he was removed on a stretcher after falling from his Ongetta Aprilia as he hit the gravel.

With Zarco's pole assured, the main battle was for second place on the grid between Germans Jonas Folger and Sandro Cortese.

Folger, who had not qualified on the front row since the 2009 Catalan Grand Prix, looked to have sewn up second spot with a superb effort with three minutes left on his Ajo Aprilia, but Cortese was in no mood to be beaten, and retook the position just seconds later on his Racing Team Germany Aprilia.

Terol, who can become world champion on Sunday, headed the second row ahead of his Aspar Aprilia team-mate Hector Faubel and Efren Vazquez's Ajo Derbi.

Danny Kent, riding yet another Ajo bike - this time an Aprilia - lay fifth with a minute to go, but was demoted to seventh by the chequered flag, while Alberto Moncayo (Andalucia Aprilia) and Maverick Vinales (Blusens Aprilia) completed the third row.

The top 10 was rounded out by RW Aprilia rider Luis Salom, who recovered from a mid-session crash at MG corner to take the position.

Pos  Rider             Team/Bike          Time       Gap
 1.  Johann Zarco      Ajo Derbi          1m39.207s
 2.  Sandro Cortese    Germany Aprilia    1m39.558s  + 0.351s
 3.  Jonas Folger      Ajo Aprilia        1m39.610s  + 0.403s
 4.  Nico Terol        Aspar Aprilia      1m39.702s  + 0.495s
 5.  Hector Faubel     Aspar Aprilia      1m39.963s  + 0.756s
 6.  Efren Vazquez     Ajo Derbi          1m40.272s  + 1.065s
 7.  Danny Kent        Ajo Aprilia        1m40.292s  + 1.085s
 8.  Alberto Moncayo   Andalucia Aprilia  1m32.317s  + 1.094s
 9.  Maverick Vinales  Blusens Aprilia    1m40.334s  + 1.127s 
10.  Luis Salom        RW Aprilia         1m40.424s  + 1.217s
11.  Luigi Morciano    FMI Aprilia        1m40.506s  + 1.299s
12.  Louis Rossi       Matteoni Aprilia   1m40.672s  + 1.465s
13.  Jakub Kornfeil    Ongetta Aprilia    1m40.705s  + 1.498s
14.  Adrian Martin     Aspar Aprilia      1m40.984s  + 1.777s
15.  Alexis Masbou     Caretta KTM        1m41.018s  + 1.811s
16.  A. Tonucci        FMI Aprilia        1m41.066s  + 1.859s
17.  Niklas Ajo        TT Aprilia         1m41.380s  + 2.173s
18.  Harry Stafford    Ongetta Aprilia    1m41.380s  + 2.173s
19.  Danny Webb        Mahindra           1m41.517s  + 2.310s
20.  Marcel Schrotter  Mahindra           1m41.543s  + 2.336s
21.  Josep Rodriguez   Blusens Aprilia    1m41.963s  + 2.756s
22.  Manuel Tatasciori Phonica Aprilia    1m42.084s  + 2.877s
23.  Sturla Fagerhaug  WTR Aprilia        1m42.172s  + 2.965s
24.  Giulian Pedone    Phonica Aprilia    1m42.192s  + 2.985s
25.  Brad Binder       Andalucia Aprilia  1m42.218s  + 3.011s
26.  Jasper Iwema      Ongetta Aprilia    1m42.304s  + 3.097s
27.  Z. Khairuddin     Ajo Derbi          1m42.330s  + 3.123s
28.  Taylor Mackenzie  Phonica Aprilia    1m42.713s  + 3.506s
29.  Jack Miller       Caretta KTM        1m42.833s  + 3.626s
30.  Joan Perello      Matteoni Aprilia   1m44.312s  + 5.105s
31.  Marco Colandrea   WTR Aprilia        1m44.618s  + 5.411s
32.  Nicky Diles       RSW Aprilia        1m45.176s  + 5.969s
33.  Josh Hook         Hook Aprilia       No Time

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