KUALA LUMPUR: Rookie Khairul Idham Pawi lived up to the pace he showed yesterday after securing his first front row start in Moto3 at the Italian Motorcycle Grand Prix yesterday.
The Honda Team Asia rider, who was only 14th fastest in the third practice earlier in the day, managed a solid 1:57.605s for third in qualifying at the Mugello circuit.
It is the highest qualifying position the 17-year-old has achieved with seventh, when he unexpectedly won the Argentina GP last month, being his previous best.
The Perak-born had topped the timesheets in the first practice yesterday but settled for 20th in the second session after struggling for pace in the uphill section.
Italian teammates Romano Fenati and Andrea Migno took pole and second place for SKY Racing Team VR46 on 1:57.289s and 1:57.586s respectively.
Khairul's teammate Hiroki Ono (Japan) will start from 11th after notching 1:58:152s.
It was, however, another unlucky day for fellow rookie Adam Norrodin of Drive M7 SIC Racing Team.
Adam, who suffered a fractured ankle after crashing in Argentina, injured himself again after crashing in the final practice as he high sided after a tyre change.
He recovered in time for qualifying but his 1:59.453s was only good enough for 31st. Teamate Jakub Kornfeil (Czech Republic) secured 16th on the grid after notching 1:58.375s.
In Moto2, Petronas Raceline's Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah, who managed a respectable fifth in the second practice on yesterday, settled for 15th in qualifying on 1:52.466s.