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.