Valencia: Spaniard Maverick Vinales qualified on pole for Sunday's Valencia Grand Prix while compatriot and MotoGP champion Marc Marquez recovered from a crash to post the fifth fastest time on Saturday.
Inclement conditions affected the practice sessions and Repsol Honda's Marquez, who wrapped up his fifth world title with three races to spare in Japan last month, crashed on the first right-hand corner of his first flying lap.
Yet his time of 1 minute and 31.442 seconds was enough to see him start from near the front.
Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso qualified third fastest, 0.080 seconds behind Movistar Yamaha's Vinales, with Suzuki's Alex Rins in second.
Dani Pedrosa, riding in his final race before retirement, qualified in ninth place on the grid.