We all know Marquez is the most dominant current MotoGP rider by a wide margin, but this isn't going to last forever. 'this tough guy persona he's adopted doesn't really suit him'Д®xactly. 'he's indulging in more mind games this year, is generally surly and ignorant of the fans when the camera is on him in the garage' Much as Rossi didn't like it in 2015 when the psychological tables (wonder what one of them looks like, and can you eat your dinner from one?) were finally turned on him, you do wonder if MM knowing that Fabio is in his face is having a similar effect here? This incident is purely of his own making and,В as we've seen down the years, there's normally a victim of Marc's intransigence this time it is himself and d'youВ know what, he was hurt there and for me it was good to see the school bully have his catapult taken away! Maybe nursing the pain might give him the chance to think about hisВ future direction, maybe Race Direction should also get involved here, not to penalise him but to basically tell him to stop being an arse.

There cannot ever be another 'cheeky chappie' like Rossi-though Fabio is certainly more Rossi thanВ Stoner, but this tough guy persona he's adopted doesn't really suit him. BUT, he's indulging in more mind games this year, is generally surly and ignorant of the fans when the camera is on him in the garage (I know he's not obligated to acknowledge anything but every previous year he has), and is playing at times silly and dangerous games on track.

Joan Mir was unlucky to miss out on Q2 after leading the way for most of Q1 but the Spaniard will be in familiar company from the Espargaro brothers on row five.ДЄnd of course injuries are wished on no one. The Suzuki man opens row three ahead of Danilo Petrucci and a fairly impressive Johann Zarco on the LCR machine.ДЄndrea Dovizioso had a thoroughly anonymous qualifying, unlike Marquez, whose strategy backfired spectacularly, but the two old rivals finished the day only five thousandths of a second apart and will share fourth row with Pecco Bagnaia вЂ“ in what is MarquezвЂ™s worst qualifying in a couple of years. Valentino Rossi showed once again that he found some extra tenths overnight to join the second row of the grid, while Alex Rins also improved his qualifying game to start seventh. Jack Miller was best of the rest and lead Ducati in fourth, ahead of pal Cal Crutchlow, who blasted through Q1 on his way to fifth on the grid. ViГ±ales was pretty magical on mediums before swapping to a fresh soft rear but the Spaniard had to settle for second, in the middle of a Petronas sandwich with Morbidelli completing the front row of the grid, only a tenth of a second off pole. While this drama was unfolding and replays of the world championвЂ™s crash craved airtime, Maverick ViГ±ales and Franco Morbidelli got some time at the top of the timesheets but Quartararo was quick to bounce back and secure a tremendous pole position on Petronas YamahaвЂ™s home soil.

It is rare that Marquez is outfoxed but this time it was of his own doing, the Honda man viciously spit off by cold tyres at turn two onВ the next flying lap. Marquez was glued to QuartararoвЂ™s tail and the frustrated youngster could not shake him off -В the duo also collecting a sizeable group of pursuers as they were playing catВ and mouse on the outlap. It all started with Marc Marquez sniffing for a tow and getting a premium one from Fabio Quartararo on their first run, but the Spaniard got a taste for it and chased the Frenchman out of pitlane for the final time attack as well.

The battle for pole position unfolded on the grey backdrop of heavy clouds but rain did not disturb the action and drama was allowed to unfold freely.

Motogp qualifying