Jorge Martin fifteenth in close qualifying at Valencia

The final qualifying session of the Moto3 season had a surprise in store for local rider Arón Canet, the youngster from Valencia taking his first career pole position at his home circuit.

Canet held on to top spot by just 0.018 seconds from Brad Binder in the closest session of the whole season, with Andrea Locatelli qualifying just a second off pole but finding himself back down in 27th position.

Hiroki Ono completes the front row, with Enea Bastianini the highest-placed rider in the fight for second in the championship in ninth place, with Mahindra Pull&Bear Aspar rider Pecco Bagnaia sixteenth and Jorge Navarro seventeenth. Tomorrow’s 24-lap race will decide who finishes the season closest to Binder.

Both of the Mahindra Pull&Bear Aspar riders were within four tenths of a second of Canet’s pole time but they will start the final race of the season from the fifth and sixth row of the grid respectively.

Jorge Martín will line up in fifteenth position although he is confident with his pace for tomorrow’s race. The Spaniard will look to make up positions from the start as he targets a podium in his final race with the team.

15th Jorge Martín 1.39.662 (15 laps):
“Today was a really difficult session. It is hard when it is like this because you have given everything but there are so many riders setting similar times; one of them was even identical to mine. In any case my pace is good for the race and I think I can do a good job. I will try to get a good start, fight with the group and try to make the podium. It will be difficult but it is feasible because my pace is very strong.”

Source: Aspar