PHILIP ISLAND, Australia: World championship leader Marc Marquez swept to pole position with a flying lap in the final seconds of qualifying Saturday for the Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island.
Marquez grabbed his 44th pole in his 88th MotoGP with a best lap time of one minute 28.386 seconds.
The Spanish Honda rider, who leads the world championship by 11 points with three rounds left, will start off on the inside of Sunday’s race grid from compatriot Maverick Vinales and French Yamaha racer Johann Zarco.
Andrea Iannone (Suzuki), Australian Jack Miller (Honda) and Pol Espargaro (KTM) will start off the second row of the grid.
Six-time race winner Valentino Rossi will join Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) and Briton Bradley Smith (KTM) on the third row.
Andrea Dovizioso, who beat Marquez in a thrilling final lap duel in Japan last weekend, struggled in qualifying and will start off the fourth row along with last year’s race winner Cal Crutchlow and Dani Pedrosa.
Rossi and Smith advanced to the second qualifying session by finishing in the top two positions in the first session, for riders whose practice times were outside the top ten.
Rossi posted a best 1:29.346 lap time on his Yamaha, 0.359 seconds ahead of Smith on a KTM.
Triple world MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo, who injured his ankle in a tumble during third free practice, was sixth on his Ducati to push him down to 16th on Sunday’s race grid.
Motorcycling: Marquez grabs pole for Australian MotoGP
Motorcycling: Marquez grabs pole for Australian MotoGP
Hojgaard inspires Dubai students as Hero Dubai Desert Classic takes trophy tour to schools
DUBAI: Young Danish star Nicolai Hojgaard helped inspire the next generation of golfers as the Hero Dubai Desert Classic took its Dallah Trophy on tour across Dubai schools before the tournament’s 37th edition.
The Middle East’s oldest golf event returns to Emirates Golf Club from Jan. 22-25, with the trophy tour forming part of a wider drive to promote the sport at grassroots level and engage young people throughout the UAE.
The initiative began on Monday at The English College, where Hojgaard, a DP World Tour professional, met students for a Q&A session and trophy presentation. Pupils also took part in introductory golf activities delivered by the Emirates Golf Federation, designed to give them a fun and accessible first experience of the game.
The school visits are being delivered in partnership with The R&A and the Emirates Golf Federation through The R&A’s “Unleash Your Drive in Schools” program. The initiative introduces golf in an inclusive, non-intimidating way while highlighting its physical and mental health benefits.
Following the opening visit, the trophy tour continued to Dubai Heights Academy on Tuesday and Horizon English School on Wednesday, with a final stop scheduled at Bloom World Academy on Thursday.
Simon Corkill, executive tournament director of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, said the program reflects the event’s long-term vision beyond elite competition.
“As the longest-running golf event in the Middle East, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic is proud to work with The R&A and the Emirates Golf Federation to inspire the next generation of golfers,” he said. “The trophy tour and school taster sessions demonstrate our commitment to developing future talent and ensuring golf is seen as an inclusive, enjoyable and healthy sport for young people.”
The Dubai Desert Classic is one of the flagship events on the global golf calendar and plays a central role in the sport’s growth in the region.
