Maverick Vinales edges out Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi to grab pole position for Italian MotoGP

MAVERICK Vinales grabbed pole position on Saturday ahead of Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi for the Italian MotoGP at Mugello.

Spain's Maverick Vinales, left.

MAVERICK Vinales grabbed pole position on Saturday ahead of Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi for the Italian MotoGP at Mugello.

It will be the third career pole for the 22-year-old Spaniard after the season-opener in Qatar and in France last month.

But Rossi proved he was well on the comeback trail after a training accident by setting the fastest time in free practice and then placing second behind Vinales in qualifying.

Yamaha's Spanish rider, Maverick Vinales, celebrates his pole position.

The championship leader clocked 1min 46.575 sec with 38-year-old Rossi just behind at 0.260 sec.

Italy’s Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati will complete the front row Sunday with world champion Marc Marquez starting sixth on his Honda.

Rossi, known on the circuit as ‘The Doctor’, was discharged from a Rimini hospital last weekend after treatment for chest and stomach injuries suffered while he was training in motocross.

“We’ve done great work since yesterday,” said Rossi, who was buoyed by the enthusiastic support of the rowdy home crowd.

Yamaha's Italian rider, Valentino Rossi, competes during qualifying.

“My condition has improved and we’ve progressed in the settings of the motorbike.”

Rossi — bidding for a 10th world title this season — is sitting third in the overall standings behind Vinales and Honda’s Dani Pedrosa.

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Originally published as Maverick Vinales edges out Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi to grab pole position for Italian MotoGP