Valentino Rossi of Movistar Yamaha has earned pole position for the Motul TT Assen with a lap of 1:32.627 - smashing Casey Stoner's previous pole record from 2012 at TT Circuit Assen by over a second.

This, the nine-time World Champion's 51st premier class pole position, is his first since Valencia of 2014. The Italian was quickest in the FP3 session for his first time since the two-tiered qualifying format began in the 2013 season. 

Aleix Espargaro of Team Suzuki Ecstar will start second on the grid with a best lap that was 0.231-seconds behind Rossi's record-breaking lap. 

Rounding out the front row beside Espargaro will be reigning two-time World Champion Marc Marquez with a best lap in qualifying that was good for 0.259-seconds behind the pole-sitting lap set by Rossi. His Repsol Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa starts next on the grid, at the head of the second row, having qualifying 0.360-seconds behind. 

Rounding out the second row beside Pedrosa will be Monster Yamaha Tech 3's Pol Espargaro (the top Satellite rider), followed by Andrea Iannone of Ducati Team. 

The third row consists of Cal Crutchlow, Rossi's teammate and winner of the last four races, Jorge Lorenzo, and Suzuki's Maverick Viñales

The fourth row of the grid will be Andrea Dovizioso, Danilo Petrucci of Octo Pramac Racing, and the other Tech 3 entry of Bradley Smith

Qualifying 13th to start at the head of the fifth row is Athina Forward Racing's Stefan Bradl. Rounding out his row will be Scott Redding and Eugene Laverty. Laverty's teammate Nicky Hayden starts from 22nd on the grid. 

Follow @VAVELMotoGP on Twitter for continued coverage of the Dutch GP. 


Aaron Durant is the editor of the VAVEL USA Racing section. Follow him on Twitter at @DoubleA291. 

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Aaron Durant
Eighteen-year-old aspiring motorsports journalist. I lead The Apex as its editor-in-chief. Read my work at TheApex.racing.