Motorcycling - Zarco takes his first MotoGP pole in Assen

The two times Moto2 champion, who rides for the non-works Tech3 Yamaha team, lapped in one minute 46.141 seconds to become the first Frenchman on pole in the top category since Olivier Jacque in 2002.

Honda's reigning champion Marc Marquez qualified second, in 1:46.206 on a damp but drying track, with Italian Danilo Petrucci completing the front row on the non-works Octo Pramac Ducati.

Championship leader Maverick Vinales of Spain qualified only 11th for Yamaha with closest rival Andrea Dovizioso ninth for Ducati. Italy's Valentino Rossi starts fourth for Yamaha.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Pritha Sarkar)