Honda man Marquez, who only needs a top-11 finish on Sunday to guarantee his fourth premier class title, set the early pace with a 1m30.424s, before improving to a 1m29.897s at the end of his first run.

That time would ultimately be good enough for an eighth pole position of the season by a margin of 0.349s over Tech 3 Yamaha rider Johann Zarco.

But Marquez denied himself the chance to improve when he lost the front end of his works Honda at the Turn 4 right-hander at the start of his second run with just over two minutes remaining.

Suzuki's Andrea Iannone briefly became Marquez's nearest challenger shortly afterwards with a 1m30.399s, before Zarco took the place away with a 1m30.246s.

Ducati's Jorge Lorenzo looked to be the only rider with the pace to topple Marquez, but will start fourth after crashing at the end of his first run at the final corner.

But the session was a struggle for his teammate Dovizioso, who has to win if he's to have any chance of beating Marquez to the title.

The Italian languished down in 12th at the halfway mark, but eventually improved to ninth by the end of the session, 1.064s off the pace.

Splitting the two factory Ducati riders on the grid are Dani Pedrosa (Honda), Ducati tester Michele Pirro, top factory Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia), another late crasher.

The second Suzuki of Alex Rins, Pol Espargaro and Jack Miller (Marc VDS Honda) completed the top 12, although KTM rider Espargaro starts from the pits for exceeding his season's engine allocation in Friday practice.

Q1: Vinales eliminated

The highest-profile casualty in Q1 was the second factory Yamaha of Maverick Vinales, who could only manage the third-best time in the opening qualifying segment.

His best time of 1m31.030s briefly put him second, behind Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro, but moments later he was demoted to third as Pol Espargaro jumped to the top of the times.

It means Vinales qualified 13th - he will start 12th when Pol's pitlane penalty is factored in - ahead of Tito Rabat (Marc VDS Honda) and Danilo Petrucci (Pramac Ducati).

A late crash for Cal Crutchlow at Turn 10 means the LCR Honda rider starts 15th, one place ahead of the second KTM of Bradley Smith.

Sam Lowes will start his final MotoGP race for Aprilia from 24th after a late crash, while Tech 3 stand-in Michael van der Mark brings up the rear in 25th.

Q2 results:

Pos.	#	Rider	Bike	Time	Gap
1	93	Marc Marquez	Honda	1'29.897
2	5	Johann Zarco	Yamaha	1'30.246	0.349
3	29	Andrea Iannone	Suzuki	1'30.399	0.502
4	99	Jorge Lorenzo	Ducati	1'30.460	0.563
5	26	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	1'30.589	0.692
6	51	Michele Pirro	Ducati	1'30.764	0.867
7	46	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	1'30.848	0.951
8	41	Aleix Espargaro	Aprilia	1'30.857	0.960
9	4	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	1'30.961	1.064
10	42	Alex Rins	Suzuki	1'30.972	1.075
11	44	Pol Espargaro	KTM	1'31.044	1.147
12	43	Jack Miller	Honda	1'31.190	1.293

Q1 results:

Pos.	#	Rider	Bike	Time	Gap
1	44	Pol Espargaro	KTM	1'30.893
2	41	Aleix Espargaro	Aprilia	1'30.913	0.020
3	25	Maverick Viñales	Yamaha	1'31.030	0.137
4	53	Tito Rabat	Honda	1'31.197	0.304
5	9	Danilo Petrucci	Ducati	1'31.216	0.323
6	35	Cal Crutchlow	Honda	1'31.297	0.404
7	38	Bradley Smith	KTM	1'31.300	0.407
8	17	Karel Abraham	Ducati	1'31.325	0.432
9	36	Mika Kallio	KTM	1'31.361	0.468
10	8	Hector Barbera	Ducati	1'31.487	0.594
11	19	Alvaro Bautista	Ducati	1'31.578	0.685
12	45	Scott Redding	Ducati	1'31.625	0.732
13	76	Loris Baz	Ducati	1'31.775	0.882
14	22	Sam Lowes	Aprilia	1'31.816	0.923
15	60	Michael van der Mark	Yamaha	1'32.504	1.611