Lowes on front row as Folger takes pole

Sam Lowes will start tomorrow’s opening race of the 2016 Moto2 season from second place, after finishing tonight’s qualifying session only 0.072 behind a new lap record for Jonas Folger.

Setting an incredible 1:59.052 lap on only his third outing, the German was unbeatable despite the best efforts of Lowes, who nonetheless remains confident that he has the race pace to take victory in tomorrow’s race.

Alex Rins was third, making it back onto the track after a big tumble in the early stages of the race, but able to rely on his lap time to take him to the final spot on the front row, 0.3 down on Folger

World champion Johann Zarco headed the second row, leading Franco Morbidelli and Sandro Cortese.

His fellow world champion Danny Kent was eleventh, inside the seventh to eleventh ballpark he told MCN earlier in the week he wants to be running in.