Johann Zarco took his second pole position of the season after a thrilling four-way 125cc qualifying fight at Misano.

The Ajo Derbi rider had set much of the early running, but times tumbled in the final five minutes as the Aprilia trio of Nico Terol, Sandro Cortese and Hector Faubel all improved.

Zarco was the first rider to dip into the 1m43s bracket however, which looked good enough for pole until Terol displaced him at the top on his final tour. Zarco was on his own flyer, and moments later was back on top with a 1m43.247s, enough to earn him provisional pole as the checkered flag fell.

Faubel and Cortese were still out on circuit though, with the former ultimately proving the main competition - his final flyer was just over one tenth shy, but enough to secure second and displace Terol to third.

Cortese was not able to improve and will start from the front of the second row, which he shares with the Aprilias of Danny Kent and impressive wildcard Miroslav Popov, the Czech teenager jumping up to sixth as the chequered flag fell.

Jonas Folger, Luis Salom and Miguel Oliviera rounded out the third row, with Aprilia teams claiming every spot from second to ninth.

Simone Grotzki missed the session and will miss the grand prix after breaking his hand in two places in a practice crash. It was a torrid way to mark his final weekend for Phonica Aprilia, with Grotzki set to lose his seat due to budget issues.

Pos  Rider                Team/Bike           Time       Gap
 1.  Johann Zarco         Ajo Derbi           1m43.247s
 2.  Hector Faubel        Aspar Aprilia       1m43.440s  + 0.193s
 3.  Nicolas Terol        Aspar Aprilia       1m43.604s  + 0.357s
 4.  Sandro Cortese       Germany Aprilia     1m43.605s  + 0.358s
 5.  Danny Kent           Ajo Aprilia         1m44.240s  + 0.993s
 6.  Miroslav Popov       Ellegi Aprilia      1m44.255s  + 1.008s
 7.  Jonas Folger         Ajo Aprilia         1m44.266s  + 1.019s
 8.  Luis Salom           RW Aprilia          1m44.275s  + 1.028s
 9.  Miguel Oliveira      Andalucia Aprilia   1m44.327s  + 1.080s
10.  Maverick Vinales     Blusens Aprilia     1m44.351s  + 1.104s
11.  Efren Vazquez        Ajo Derbi           1m44.617s  + 1.370s
12.  Alberto Moncayo      Andalucia Aprilia   1m44.651s  + 1.404s
13.  Sergio Gadea         Blusens Aprilia     1m44.740s  + 1.493s
14.  Luigi Morciano       Italia FMI Aprilia  1m44.940s  + 1.693s
15.  Marcel Schrotter     Mahindra            1m45.034s  + 1.787s
16.  Zulfahmi Khairuddin  Ajo Derbi           1m45.102s  + 1.855s
17.  Jakub Kornfeil       Ongetta Aprilia     1m45.169s  + 1.922s
18.  Adrian Martin        Aspar Aprilia       1m45.193s  + 1.946s
19.  Danny Webb           Mahindra            1m45.524s  + 2.277s
20.  Harry Stafford       Ongetta Aprilia     1m45.527s  + 2.280s
21.  Jasper Iwema         Ongetta Aprilia     1m45.639s  + 2.392s
22.  Alessandro Tonucci   Italia FMI Aprilia  1m45.833s  + 2.586s
23.  Louis Rossi          Matteoni Aprilia    1m45.840s  + 2.593s
24.  Massimo Parziani     Faenza Aprilia      1m46.081s  + 2.834s
25.  Alessandro Giorgi    VFT Aprilia         1m46.083s  + 2.836s
26.  Alexis Masbou        Caretta KTM         1m46.256s  + 3.009s
27.  Manuel Tatasciore    Phonica Aprilia     1m46.316s  + 3.069s
28.  Kevin Calia          MGP Aprilia         1m46.345s  + 3.098s
29.  Sturla Fagerhaug     WTR-Ten10 Aprilia   1m46.634s  + 3.387s
30.  Jack Miller          Caretta KTM         1m47.031s  + 3.784s
31.  Francesco Mauriello  WTR-Ten10 Aprilia   1m47.198s  + 3.951s
32.  Giulian Pedone       Phonica Aprilia     1m47.625s  + 4.378s
33.  Joan Perello         Matteoni Aprilia    1m48.376s  + 5.129s
34.  Taylor Mackenzie     Phonica Aprilia     1m48.893s  + 5.646s
35.  Simone Grotzkyj      Phonica Aprilia