Aleix Espargaró achieved a wonderful pole position in Assen Circuit, where Grand Prix of Holland is taking place this weekend. Márquez and Pedrosa’s Honda could not beat Espargaró due to rain. Yamaha riders will start really back in the grid.
Everything started with a Q1 dominated by Álvaro Bautista, who got the first place. The other place, which gives path to Q2, was an extreme fight between Hernández, Abraham and Aoyama. Finally none of this riders would pass as Cal Crutchlow made a perfect lap for second place. Abraham was out followed by Aoyama and Hernández.
Q2 started with dry track and in the first laps where Aleix Espargaró surprised everyone by taking the first place. The catalan rider set an stratospheric time and none of the Hondas could catch it. Finally, while lots of riders were trying to set a best time, rain appeared in Assen so no best time could be set.
When going back to box the rain was heavier and riders had to use wet tyres despite being unable to set good times. Espargaró was acknowledging that he would get his first pole position in Moto GP, something impossible years ago. Finally Márquez will start from second position followed by his teammate, Dani Pedrosa.
Iannone made a great qualification being fourth so he will share row with an impressin Crutchlow and Bradley Smith’s Monster Yamaha Tech3. Third row will be filled by Dovizioso, Bradl and a disappointing Lorenzo, who could not do it better than a discrete ninth position. Worse was Rossi, who will start from twelve position after Bautista and Pol Espargaró.
This interesting grid will give the start for the MotoGP race, tomorrow at 2 pm local time.
Results:
| Pos. | Nº | Rider | Team | Motorbike | Gap | Diff | |
| 1 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | NGM Forward Racing | Forward Yamaha | 1’38.789 | |
| 2 | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | + 01,405 | + 01,405 |
| 3 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | + 00,538 | + 01,943 |
| 4 | 29 | Andrea IANNONE | ITA | Pramac Racing | Ducati | + 00,054 | + 01,997 |
| 5 | 35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | GBR | Ducati Team | Ducati | + 00,010 | + 02,007 |
| 6 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | + 00,022 | + 02,029 |
| 7 | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | + 00,322 | + 02,351 |
| 8 | 6 | Stefan BRADL | GER | LCR Honda MotoGP | Honda | + 00,842 | + 03,193 |
| 9 | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | + 00,277 | + 03,470 |
| 10 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | GO&FUN Honda Gresini | Honda | + 00,625 | + 04,095 |
| 11 | 44 | Pol ESPARGARO | SPA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | + 00,201 | + 04,296 |
| 12 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | + 00,540 | + 04,836 |
| 13 | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | CZE | Cardion AB Motoracing | Honda | 1’34:907 | |
| 14 | 7 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | JPN | Drive M7 Aspar | Honda | 1:34.930 | |
| 15 | 68 | Yonny HERNANDEZ | COL | Energy T.I. Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1:35.056 | |
| 16 | 45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | GO&FUN Honda Gresini | Honda | 1:35.059 | |
| 17 | 9 | Danilo PETRUCCI | ITA | Octo IodaRacing Team | ART | 1:35.346 | |
| 18 | 5 | Colin EDWARDS | USA | NGM Forward Racing | Forward Yamaha | 1:35.484 | |
| 19 | 23 | Broc PARKES | AUS | Paul Bird Motorsport | PBM | 1:35.513 | |
| 20 | 8 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Avintia Racing | Avintia | 1:35.631 | |
| 21 | 70 | Michael LAVERTY | GBR | Paul Bird Motorsport | PBM | 1:35.731 | |
| 22 | 69 | Nicky HAYDEN | USA | Drive M7 Aspar | Honda | 1:35.792 | |
| 23 | 63 | Mike DI MEGLIO | FRA | Avintia Racing | Avintia | 1:35.980 | |
