Moto3: Champion Mir breaks his pole duck with record lap

New Moto3 world champion Joan Mir has finally broken his pole position duck with a record-setting lap of the Sepang circuit, taking the first pole position of his championship-winning season and only the second of his career for the penultimate race of the year at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Mr Pole Position Jorge Martin, who’s started half of this season’s races from the top spot, looked to have the top spot locked out early in the session, but a knockout blow from Mir left him 0.4 clear of his rival and nearly half a second under Jack Miller’s lap record.

“I am very happy; winning a world title without earning a pole position is quite weird! I’m really happy with the rhythm, we made a spectacular ride: but I think it all comes from the work done so far these two days. Tomorrow we can turn as we want and have fun … and maybe win another!”

Behind the dicing duo, it was a good day for British Talent Team Honda rider John McPhee in what will be his penultimate race for the squad. Finally finding out what he’ll be doing next year after weeks of pressure was lifted with the news that he’ll join the CIP Moto KTM team next year, the Scotsman finished an impressive third.

Dutchman Bo Bendsneyder was an impressive fourth despite his height putting him at a significant disadvantage on the long straights of Sepang, ahead of Gabriel Rodrigo and Jules Danilo, with Livio Loi, Romano Fenati, Enea Bastianini and Niccolo Antonelli rounding out the top ten.