World champion Marquez takes pole for Indy race

Two-time world champion Marc Marquez claimed pole position for Sunday's Indianapolis MotoGP in qualifying Saturday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 22-year-old Spaniard, riding for the Repsol Honda Team, posted the quickest time with a lap in 1min 31.884secs.

Marquez, undefeated in MotoGP competition on US soil, will seek a third consecutive victory in the eighth Indianapolis event.

Counting 2011 and 2012 wins in Moto2, he's in line for a fifth win at the famed IndyCar circuit.

Marquez became the first man to win three consecutive poles in the event. In 10 MotoGP outings this season, he has won five poles while in his elite class career, he has 27 poles in 47 races.

Spanish riders will fill the front row as Dani Pedrosa, Marquez's Honda teammate, posted the day's second-fastest qualifying time of 1:32.055 while Jorge Lorenzo of Yamaha will start third after a qualifying run of 1:32.186.

Indianapolis is the 10th race of the season's MotoGP World Championship.

Season points leader Valentino Rossi of Yamaha qualified eighth, which ties the Italian's lowest qualifying spot of the season. Rossi has started eighth three other times this year.
Source: AFP