Guido Pini was second-best with a time of 1:40.036 on his LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP KTM.
Joel Kelso, piloting his LevelUp-MTA KTM, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:40.045.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Quiles back with a bang for maiden pole ahead of Pini and Kelso. The rookies steal the spotlight in France with a 1-2 as qualifying sets the stage for a classic on Sunday.
He stunned on debut in COTA and now he’s back from injury, Maximo Quiles only continues to impress. The CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team rider is on pole for only the second Grand Prix he’s contested, heading a rookie 1-2 ahead of Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP’s Guido Pini. Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) continues his frontrunning form to complete the front row.
It was a tense duel in Q1 as Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was leading the way but crashed with three minutes of the session remaining, meaning he was vulnerable in the closing stages. There was no reason to worry though as he stayed top, ahead of a late-charging Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse), replacement rider Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA) and Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team), denying Cormac Buchanan (DENSSI Racing – BOE) by just 0.015s.
Once we were into Q2 to decide pole, after the opening run it was Quiles on top on his return, and with quite a gap as the rookie returned to qualifying with a bang. After nearly taking pole on his first GP appearance in the Americas GP, this time he got the job done as no one could deny him.
Kelso was up into second with his penultimate flying lap but there was a mega lap incoming from Pini, taking over in P2, making it two debutants up top as Kelso adds the experience on the front row in third.
Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) heads up the second row ahead of Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) with a season-best qualifying and David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), completing the second row.
Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) took a very strong P7 on his team’s home turf, ahead of Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who continues to look for the form with which he dominated at Jerez. David Almansa (Leopard Racing) and Carraro complete the top ten, denying Japanese duo Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), leaving them in P11 and P12 respectively.
Find full results from Moto3 qualifying HERE.
Can Quiles take that maiden podium or win? Will Pini upset the fight for the rookie spotlight? Or will the likes of Rueda and Piqueras hit back once the lights go out? We’ll find out on Sunday!