French rookie Fabio Quartararo denied MotoGP champion Marc Marquez a home pole position in the final qualifying session of the season in Valencia on Saturday.

The Petronas Yamaha rider lapped the Ricardo Tormo track with a best time of one minute 29.978 seconds, 0.032 quicker than Honda’s Marquez, who sealed his sixth world championship last month.

Australian Jack Miller, for the non-works Pramac Ducati team, completed the front row in third place.

The pole was Quartararo’s sixth of the season, and he will be hoping for a breakthrough first win in the top category on Sunday.

Italian great Valentino Rossi qualified only 12th for Yamaha.

Marquez’s compatriot and team mate Jorge Lorenzo, a three times MotoGP champion with 43 career poles, will line up for his last race before retirement in 16th place.