(Reuters) – Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales took pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix, edging out Pramac Ducati’s Jack Miller in a closely contested qualifying session in Spielberg on Saturday.
Vinales did not set the fastest time in any of the four sectors at the Red Bull Ring but his time of 1 minute and 23.450 seconds was enough for his first pole since the Australian Grand Prix last year.
The Spaniard was 0.068 seconds faster than Miller while world championship leader Fabio Quartararo of Petronas Yamaha completes the front row.
Andrea Dovizioso, who made headlines before the qualifying session when his manager confirmed he would not be renewing his deal with Ducati next year, will start fourth on the grid while KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro was fifth fastest.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Alison Williams)
