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Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez will start from pole position at the Australian MotoGP, with local hope Jack Miller on the second row of the starting grid.
Miller put in the best qualifying performance of his career on his Marc VDS Honda to start on Sunday from fifth position at the Phillip Island circuit.
Heavy rain on Saturday again made conditions tricky for riders, but Marquez (Repsol Honda) showed his class to claim the 65th pole position of his career.
“This weekend has been really tricky with the weather conditions – you need to be fast, of course, but you need to have the correct strategy, too,” Marquez said.
“At the moment we’re going out at the correct time with the correct tyres every time and we were able to be on pole position.
“It was difficult to find the perfect lap but we did and we will see (on Sunday) but I feel ready.
“I feel comfortable on the bike.”
Miller was pushed down the order in an enthralling second qualifying session by Brit Cal Crutchlow, who qualified second on his LCR Honda, and third-placed Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech 3).
“I’m annoyed I’m not on the front row … I probably would have been if I hadn’t hit the curb on the last corner and nearly high-sided myself into the (home) straight,” Miller said.
“That’s a bit of a shame but it’s a good starting point for the race.
“Hopefully, it’s a dry race. I’d like to mix it (with the top teams) in the dry and I think we’ve got a good chance of doing that.”
Marquez claimed his third MotoGP world title with a win at last week’s Japanese grand prix after main challengers Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo crashed out.
The bad run continued for the Movistar Yamaha pair, who were off the pace on Saturday, with Rossi incurring a costly tyre penalty in Friday’s practice.
Lorenzo, the 2015 world champion, will start 12th and Rossi 15th – the nine-time world champion’s worst qualifying performance since 2011.
Queenslander Mike Jones, an injury replacement rider on an Avintia Racing Ducati, will start from 19th position.
“My feet still haven’t hit the ground after being told I was going to race in Japan last week,” Jones said.
“Obviously it’s a fantastic feeling to qualify for my home MotoGP.
“It’s just been an incredible experience.”
In Moto2 action, Thomas Luthi (Garage Plus Interwetten) grabbed pole position, with current title race leader Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) in 10th.
Local hope Remy Gardner will start in 23rd position on his Tasca Racing Scuderia bike.
New Moto3 world champion Brad Binder claimed pole position on his Red Bull KTM, with local wildcard entrant Matt Barton (Suus Honda) in 34th spot.
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