Marco Bezzecchi on Saturday grabbed pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix after setting the fastest time in qualifying ahead of championship leader Marc Marquez.
As the sun began to set over the dusty Lusail Circuit, the Italian on an Aprilia broke the Qatar track record with a time of 1 minute 50.028 seconds.
"No frustration at all," said Bezzecchi when asked if he was disappointed not to break the 1:50 mark.
"When I saw my last attempt I was even faster but I made a mistake in the last corner to try a little bit too much.
"But I can't complain at all, it was a perfect qualifying. I wanted to start in the front row and pole position is even better so very happy."
He outclassed all his rivals, including Ducati's Marquez, who could win an eighth world title in the premier class on Sunday.
"It was the main target as I said yesterday: front row. It was not easy but we're there. We know that Marco has another pace this weekend, he is super fast," said Marquez.
The Catalan rider and Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio, on a Ducati-VR46, had dominated Friday's qualifying sessions, but were left 0.266sec and 0.299sec behind Bezzecchi.
Bezzecchi, who is third in the standings, will attempt to delay the seven-time world champion's title clinch this weekend.
The other Aprilia rider, Jorge Martin, second behind Marquez in the standings, made his return after suffering a broken right wrist and qualified 11th.