Three-time MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo gave his hopes of catching Marc Marquez in the championship standings a boost by claiming pole for the British Grand Prix yesterday.
The Spaniard edged out Ducati teammate Andrea Dovizioso by 0.159 seconds with France’s Johann Zarco completing the front row of the grid.
In a delayed qualifying session due to heavy rain at Silverstone and a crash that saw Tito Rabat taken to hospital with multiple right leg fractures, championship leader Marquez was happy just to escape unscathed.
Marquez will start from fifth, behind Cal Crutchlow, who is hoping to become the first British rider to win on home soil.
Veteran Valentino Rossi stands between Marquez and Lorenzo in the championship standings, but the Italian’s 59-point deficit to Marquez threatens to grow after the nine-time world champion could only qualify down in 12th.
Valentino Rossi took a strategy gamble in the 15-minute shoot-out, making a late pit stop, but it didn‘t pay off. He will start the race tomorrow from 12th on the grid.
The wet FP4 came to a dramatic halt as various riders crashed due to aquaplaning. The safety conditions subsequently caused the qualifying session to be delayed, but once Q2 got underway Viñales and Rossi made sure they were ready.
Having seen how quick the weather conditions can change at the Silverstone Circuit, Viñales headed out of the box as quick as he could, eager to clock a time whilst it was dry. However, unable to get a good feeling on his soft rear tyre on the wet, he went straight for pit lane after his out lap.
With less than nine minutes remaining he returned to the track on two medium tyres. His fourth lap moved him up from 12th to 10th position, but he was pushed back as the pace picked up towards the end of the session. The Spaniard had three more goes at it, and his last try, a 2’12.514s, saw him finish in 11th place, 2.359s from first.
Rossi was quick to adapt to the wet track conditions and set an initial 2‘14.839s lap for fifth place. He improved his time, but not his position, on his second and third attempt. He held eighth place as he headed back into pit lane with three and a half minutes to go.
He came out of the garage again as fast as he could but wasn’t able to finish his out lap before the chequered flag went out. His fastest lap, a 2’13.504s set on lap 4, put him in 12th position, 3.349s from the top. 
“It’s a great shame and I’m very upset because we had a good strategy with the right tyres, but unfortunately we were a little bit tight with the time. We made a mistake in the box and lost too much time changing the tyre and I took the flag by two seconds, so I was also a little bit unlucky. It’s a pity because I did a 2’10.7s on the last lap, so that would’ve been P5,” said Rossi.
“It would have been good to start from the second row, that was my target, but unfortunately I took the flag and the lap was cancelled. I have to start from 12th and it will be more difficult. For me, the grip on the asphalt in the wet is not so bad, the problem is that the track doesn’t drain enough, because it’s very new. If there is a lot of water, it stays on the top and causes aquaplaning. When it’s like that, it’s very dangerous.”
Earlier, Spain’s Jorge Martin claimed his seventh pole position of the season to start Sunday’s Moto3 race from the front of the grid.
Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi will start from way down in 11th handing Martin the chance to usurp the Italian’s 12-point lead in the standings.
Due to safety conditions, the British GP schedule has been amended for the Sunday. The MotoGP race will start at 11:30 local track time (GMT+1). The Warm Up is held from 09:00 - 09:20.