Ducati on pole at home with Iannone setting the pace

Andrea Iannone claimed the first premier class pole position of his career, and his ninth in all classes, with a stunning lap record at Mugello that saw the Ducati rider lead the field with three Ducati’s on the front two rows to give them home fans plenty to cheer about.

This was the first time that Ducati has had a home pole since Casey Stoner led the field away in 2007 and while the red machines haven’t won at Mugello since six years ago there is plenty of reason to believe that the GP15 will be the bike to end that drought.

Jorge Lorenzo was within a tenth of Iannone and his second fastest time of the session was hugely impressive because he wasn’t able to avail of the extra soft tyre that the riders on the front two rows can utilise.

Valentino Rossi will start from eighth on the grid and given that his last three wins have come from the middle of the second row there’ll be plenty of reason for the partizan crowd to believe that he can win tomorrow.