Barcelona MotoGP: Aleix Espargaro gives Suzuki first pole since '07

In a frenetic qualifying session during which the Barcelona MotoGP record fell several times, Espargaro set the fastest time with just three minutes of the session remaining when he beat the record previously set by Jorge Lorenzo.

Vinales slotted in behind his team-mate in the dying moments as Suzuki wrapped up the first two places on a top-class grid for the first time since Kevin Schwantz and Alex Barros did it at Jerez in May 1993 and took its first MotoGP pole since Chris Vermeulen's effort at Assen in June 2007.

Lorenzo wound up in third ahead of Honda's Marc Marquez, who had earlier been the first man to break the Barcelona lap record midway through the session before he was bumped down the order.

Both Lorenzo and Marquez tried to topple the Suzuki pair but could not improve on their final laps.

Andrea Dovizioso moved quietly to fifth and will start ahead of Dani Pedrosa, who was earlier forced to come through Q1 having failed to make the cut for the top 10 fastest times after third practice.

Championship leader Valentino Rossi will start from the third row of the grid once again after finishing seventh, alongside British pair Bradley Smith and Cal Crutchlow.

Crutchlow had run as high as third early on in the session, but was unable to improve his position as he lost control of his LCR Honda and crashed moments before the chequered flag came out.

Another rider to fall towards the end of qualifying was Pol Espargaro. The Tech 3 rider crashed at Turn 1 and will line up 11th.

Yonny Hernandez rounded out the top 10 on his Pramac Ducati and Andrea Iannone - who came through Q1 alongside Pedrosa - will start from 12th place.

Karel Abraham missed the session having suffered a dislocated toe in a heavy accident during practice four.

QUALIFYING RESULTS: