MOTORCYCLING: Bradley Smith optimistic despite 12th place on the grid

The Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team rider said “I’m quite content with how the bike is feeling, so despite being a bit frustrated that I was only 0.2secs from fifth, I am still optimistic.

“I know that I left more than 0.2secs on the track and our race pace is more competitive than our position is showing at the moment.

“I have made things a bit trickier for myself by starting from 12th.

“But with a strong start, we will be in the mix.”

Smith, who stands sixth in the world championship standings – the leading Briton – looked at one stage like being nearer the top of the grid.

He delivered a notable performance in third practice to seize fifth position with a time of 1min 33.387secs that was just 0.220 from the leading time.

He surged into action when second qualifying began and posted a best time of 1.33.236, which saw him at the rear of the fourth row.

Nevertheless, his time was just over two-tenths back from his teammate Pol Espargaro in what was a fiercely competitive qualifying shoot-out.

Smith will now look to undertake a typical rocket start from the grid and then battle for the leading honours to follow up his double top-five finishes at the previous two rounds.

Six-times world champion Valentino Rossi claimed his first pole position of the season The Italian’s 61st pole position and first since Valencia in 2014 was secured with a record time around the 4.5km track of 1min 32.627sec.

The 36-year-old Italian, riding the Movistar Yamaha, has previously won eight times round the 2.8 mile circuit.

He is joined on the front row for the 26-lap race by Aleix Espargaro and the reigning world champion Marc Marquez.

Cal Crutchlow led the British challenge, qualifying in seventh place on the CWM LCR Honda at the circuit where he took pole a couple years ago.

Rossi’s team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, who trails the Italian by just one point in the championship standings, will have to start the race from eighth.