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Tag: Fabio Quartararo
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Quartararo draws first to deny Marquez the final pole of 2019 at Valencia
The rookie once again topples the reigning Champion in qualifying – but it’s as close as ever
Miller p3, locks out the front row in Valencia on Saturday. A MotoGP image Valencia, 16 Nov 2019: On Friday at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, it was all about one man: Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT). A day later and the headlines don’t need too much adjusting, with the French rookie putting in another superlative performance in qualifying to take the final pole position of the season – his sixth in his rookie year. It was a close run duel with reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), however, with the number 93 losing out by just 0.032 despite a crash in FP4. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing), another man with some serious pace so far, converted that into a front row start and he’ll start third.
The chill had been taken out the day by the time qualifying came around, and in Q1 it was Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) vs Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in a duel for supremacy – with the former coming out on top, but by just 0.005. Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was the man who just lost out in P13, with the 12 men ahead of him then heading out to fight for pole.
Given his performances in qualifying so far this season, it was no surprise to see Quartararo on provisional pole after the first run, but Miller was coming. The Australian was able to take over at the top as the riders headed back out, but it didn’t take too long for Quartararo to strike back. Provisionally fastest once again and Marquez taking over in second, there remained one more shot at it for most. Could the reigning Champion ruin the rookie party?
As the clock ticked down, many were still pushing but the timing screens remained resolutely free of red. Quartararo couldn’t better himself, and Marquez and Miller had no answer for the Frenchman. So a sixth pole of the season is the number 20’s sign off from rookie Saturdays, and he’ll be aiming, as ever, for a maiden win on Sunday. But Marquez will doubtless be keen to stand in his way as he homes in on 400 points, with Miller with his own high stakes as he aims to stop Quartararo taking the title of top Independent Team rider too.
On the second row it’s Sepang winner Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) in fourth, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) in a solid fifth. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) slotted into sixth as the only man who improved on his final lap, aiming to stop Marquez from giving Repsol Honda the teams’ Championship.
Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) got the better of Q1 graduate and teammate Alex Rins to take seventh, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) completing the third row alongside the two Suzukis. Ducati Team’s Danilo Petrucci rounds out the top 10 in Valencia.
Pol Espargaro managed to beat Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to P11, with the KTM man aiming even higher on race day. But on that race day, Rossi will be eager to hit back and move a good way forward – with Saturday sessions largely having seen ‘The Doctor’ further forward, despite a tough Friday.
Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team), meanwhile, will begin an emotionally-charged final race of his career from 16th.
Can Quartararo grab that first MotoGP™ win before the 2019 season comes to a close? The scrap for the final 25 points of the year looks set to be a cracker, with plenty on the table and history guaranteed to be made. Tune in for the Valencia GP at 14:00 local time (GMT+1).
Qualifying Result Top-3:
1 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) 1’29.978
2 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) +0.032
3 – Jack Miller* (AUS – Ducati) +0.108*Independent Team rider
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Double trouble: Quartararo takes top honours on Day 1; MotoGP final round
Frenchman fastest in FP1 and FP2, with Viñales the closest man on the chase
Quartararo in action on Friday. A MotoGP image Valencia, 15 Nov 2019: FP1 pacesetter Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) made it double trouble for his rivals on Friday at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, topping the timesheets again in the afternoon for dominion on Day 1. He has a tenth and a half in hand over fellow Yamaha rider Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), with World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) placing P3 so far.
After a chillier start, conditions were slightly warmer in the afternoon and allowed some riders to head out and post their best times of the day early in FP2, one of whom was Marquez as he sat on top of the standings in the opening exchanges. He and Viñales had got the better of Quartararo’s FP1 time fairly early on and leapfrogged the Rookie of the Year on the combined times, with Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) putting in some impressive laps to claw his way up to P2 overall with around 10 minutes left to play as well. But the clock was ticking down and that meant a shuffle on the way.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) moved himself into the top 10, Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) took P2 and P3 on the combined times respectively and at this stage, FP1 leader Quartararo hadn’t improved. So it was instead Viñales who first displaced Marquez from P1, but the Frenchman was on a charge and made his first gains to get up into second and then go top with an even better effort.
That sees him top so far from Sepang winner Viñales and Champion Marquez, with Miller in fourth at the end of the day despite a crash – and the Australian was second in FP1. Morbidelli takes P5, ahead of Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). The two-time premier class race winner got the better of rookie teammate Mir in the end, but not by much as the number 36 ends Friday in seventh.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) impressed in P8, with late times from Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Idemitsu) seeing them grab a top 10 place in ninth and tenth respectively. Zarco’s temporary teammate Crutchlow was the man to lose out as he ended the day in 11th.
He’ll be a big name hoping to improve in FP3, and perhaps the biggest name has the same task ahead of him on Saturday: after crashing in FP1 at Turn 4, Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was unfortunately in the gravel again in FP2. This time it was the fast right-hand Turn 10 that caught ‘The Doctor’ out and thankfully the nine-time World Champion was ok, but the same couldn’t be said for his YZR-M1. He was 14th and will be aiming to leapfrog Michele Pirro (Ducati Team), Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) and Crutchlow as a minimum before qualifying…
Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) ended his final Friday in the sport in 16th, but just 0.012 off Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) ahead of him. What will Saturday bring? The final fight for automatic entry into Q2 begins at 9:55 (GMT +1) local time, before qualifying starts at 14:10. Will Quartararo keep his dominion on Day 2? Tune in to find out.
MotoGP: Friday’s Fastest:
1 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) 1’30.735
2 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) +0.148
3 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) +0.239
4 – Jack Miller* (AUS – Ducati) +0.265
5 – Franco Morbidelli* (ITA – Yamaha) +0.464*Independent Team rider
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Fabio Quartararo claims stunning home pole for Petronas Yamaha SRT
Marquez crashes out after shadowing the Frenchman in Q2, Yamaha lock out the front row
Fabio Quartararo celebrates his pole posing to the onboard camera on Saturday. Photos by Srinivasa Krishnan Sepang, 2 Nov 2019: Fabio Quartararo took a sensational home GP pole position for Petronas Yamaha SRT in a hugely dramatic Q2 at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix; a stunning 1:58.303 meaning he saw off fellow Yamaha riders Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) in the fight for the top. Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez crashed out from following the Frenchman, and he’ll start P11.
A frantic session started with Marquez backing out of his first flying lap, and soon after the 2019 World Champion was locked on to Quartararo. The rookie kept his head down on his first lap to take provisional pole, however, before Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) then took over at the summit in Q2.
Quartararo remained unfazed though, firing in a stunner as Marquez quickly lost touch. The Hondas of Marquez and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) were unable to do anything about the flying Frenchman, but Viñales was the next to take up the challenge and he managed to edge him out by just 0.087.
And then came the drama. As Quartararo headed out for his second run, Marquez rumbled out of pitlane right next to the Yamaha and shadowed him around Sepang, intent on remaining latched onto the rear of the fastest man on Friday. But would Quartararo ruin his next lap in order to not drag the World Champion round? The answer was no, and as the number 20 fired his Yamaha out of the final corner and down the straight, it was go time.
Despatching Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) to latch back onto Quartararo, Marquez made Turn 1 in hot pursuit before it all went wrong soon after. Pushing to stay with the rookie, the reigning Champion then suddenly suffered a highside and tumbled off in to the gravel at Turn 2 as Quartararo continued his final charge.
At the time of the crash, Marquez was fifth. As the red and yellow sectors lit up the timing screens for the rest, that started to look in doubt. And sure enough, it would all shuffle again. Quartararo was pulling out the tenths; 0.2 under halfway around the lap, 0.3 under at the third split…but would he hold on? A slight twitch at the final corner threatened to spoil a phenomenal lap but, although losing time, Quartararo took the chequered flag to take an immense fifth pole of 2019 and his sixth consecutive front row start.
Viñales and Morbidelli make it a Yamaha front row lockout in Malaysia in second and third, with a Ducati, Honda and Yamaha making up the second row: Jack Miller (Pramac Racing), Crutchlow and Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) spearheads Row 3 in P7 ahead of Petrucci, with LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Johann Zarco having a sterling ride in Q2 to grab his best dry qualifying of the year in P9 – the second best Honda on the grid.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) took P10 in the end and pipped the man he’s fought for the title for the last three years to the honour, with Marquez’ crash proving even more costly than it initially seemed and the number 93 down in P11 in his worst qualifying since Mugello 2015. Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) took P12 to start alongside him.
Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) complete the top fifteen.
The Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix was already set up to impress, but a tale of two halves for Marquez and a few of his biggest rivals mean Sunday is really poised for a showdown. Who can take the heat? Find out at 15:00 (GMT +8) as the lights go out for the premier class.
MotoGP Qualifying top-three:
1 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) 1’58.303
2 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) +0.103
3 – Franco Morbidelli* (ITA – Yamaha) +0.129*Independent Team rider
Here are some more photos from popular motorsports photographer Srinivasa Krishnan from Sepang to INDIAinF1:
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Fabio Quartararo eclipses the field on another record-breaking Friday
The Frenchman leads a Petronas Yamaha SRT 1-2, breaking the lap record not once, but twice
Fabio Quartararo sets the best lap with a record to boost in practice. Photos by Srinivasa Krishnan from Sepang Sepang, 1 Nov 2019: Breaking the lap record seems a good way to start your team’s home Grand Prix, so doing it once in FP1 and again in FP2 makes it an even better Friday for Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Fabio Quartararo at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix. The Frenchman was over half a second clear, but it was teammate Franco Morbidelli who was closest to him by the end of play, making it double delight for the team. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) rounded out the top three.
Day 1 was dry but it’s a mix of FP1 and FP2 times at the top, although Quartararo’s best lap in FP1 would still have been enough to take to the top. In the afternoon he unleashed even more pace to stretch his advantage, however, smashing Dani Pedrosa’s former lap record even further. Morbidelli was nevertheless impressive in second, his lap from FP1, and all Yamahas were at the front as Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Valentino Rossi locked out the top five – the former from a lap in the morning and the latter, afternoon.
Marc Marquez at Sepang on Friday. That makes Dovizioso the only non-Iwata marque machine in the mix after the opening day’s action, with reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) the next closest but a couple of tenths off Rossi. He was sixth on Friday, his FP1 time his best, and began that very session with a trademark save on the edge. There was also an interesting extra spotted on his machine: a second lever on the left handlebar. What was it? A rear brake lever, although the number 93 says it’ll go back in the box for now as it isn’t ready to race.
Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) put Suzuki in seventh, his laptime from FP1, ahead of Quartararo’s closest rival for the title of top Independent Team rider in 2019: Jack Miller (Pramac Racing). An impressive showing from Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) put the Noale factory in ninth, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) rounding out what could prove a pivotal top ten.
Number 63 Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) just missed the cut by a seemingly grudge-bearing margin of just 0.063 as he was 11th, just ahead of fellow rookie Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) had a tougher day in P13, with Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Karel Abraham (Reale Avintia Racing) rounding out the fastest fifteen on Friday, with Frenchman despite a slow lowside.
The likes of Petrucci, Mir and Bagnaia will have their eyes to the skies on Saturday as once again the forecast looks set to close in and throw a spanner in the works of improving laptimes in FP3, and then there’s qualifying itself from 15:05 (GMT +8). Can Quartararo keep the momentum on Saturday? Will the likes of Marquez – out solely for speed – strike back? Stay tuned.
Friday’s MotoGP top results:
1 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) 1’58.576
2 – Franco Morbidelli* (ITA – Yamaha) +0.534
3 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) +0.630
4 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) +0.642
5 – Valentino Rossi (ITA – Yamaha) +0.708*Independent Team rider
Here are some more photos from popular motorsports photographer Srinivasa Krishnan from Sepang to INDIAinF1:
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Great Ocean Road: riding to the Island with Miller and Quartararo
Off to a flying start, the home hero and the rookie who hopes to beat him saddle up Down Under
Miller (L) and Quartararo on the stunning road to the Australian GP. A MotoGP image Phillip Island (Australia), 23 Oct 2019: There are some roads that beg to be ridden, and the Great Ocean Road is one of them. Nearly 250km long and stretching along the coastline of the state of Victoria, every view is a ripper and for that kind of place, you really need to consider heading out on two wheels.
Luckily for Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) and Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT), they’re in the business of riding and Ducati and Yamaha are very much in the business of bikes. And so, it was time to saddle up for a trip to the Island, with a little helicopter action thrown in for good measure.
With two stretches of the Great Ocean Road temporarily closed for the event, Miller and Quartararo had the run of the scenery around seaside town Lorne, and the two opened the throttle to blast alongside the ocean for a few kilometers, as well as making a stop off for an awesome ride down Lorne Pier. With blue skies above and the open road ahead, there’s hardly a better way to arrive in the spectacular Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit. In reality, however, the adventure didn’t quite begin and end there…
On Tuesday afternoon fresh from touchdown in the country, the two riders were whisked off for a pretty special experience – a helicopter tour of the 12 Apostles, flying down from Melbourne before touchdown on the Great Ocean Road. The 12 Apostles, further south along the route they’d ride the day after, is a Victoria classic – and from the air, even more spectacular.
And just as the riding was far from a quick stop-go for the cameras, the helicopter action didn’t stop there, either. As well as the aircraft getting some stunning shots of the ride, another helicopter was then waiting to take the two men fighting for top Independent Team rider to their ultimate destination – Phillip Island. By road, it’s a good few kms and hours. By air, it’s a short hop over the deep blue below with another set of awesome views thrown in – the ribbon of perfect tarmac hugging the coastline kilometer after kilometer.
After a little chance to catch their breath, it’s now time to change road bikes for media debriefs on Thursday and then, finally, unleash their MotoGP™ machines on Friday morning. And there, the ocean will still be alongside them and the scenery just as stunning – only this time the ‘road’ will be far from closed. The pitlane opens for the Pramac Generac Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at 9am on Friday 25th October, tune in then and stay for what’s sure to be one of the premier class races of the year on Sunday at 15:00 (GMT +11).
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Marquez escapes the clutches of Quartararo at Motegi
The reigning Champion brings it home for Honda, Quartararo wraps up Rookie of the Year and Dovizioso hits a century in Japan
Marc Marquez celebrates after crossing the flag in Motegi on Sunday. A MotoGP image Motegi (Japan), 20 Oct 2019: The riders’ Championship may already have been decided before the paddock arrived at the Twin Ring Motegi, but the Motul Grand Prix of Japan saw plenty of milestones: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) took a commanding victory to wrap up the constructors’ Championship for Honda, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) pushed him as hard as he could and took second to secure Rookie of the Year and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) pounced on Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to take his 100th Grand Prix podium.
It wasn’t the perfect getaway for polesitter Marquez but he held his advantage into Turn 1, with Quartararo braking later to get underneath his teammate Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and start his stalking of the reigning Champion early. But that allowed the fast-starting Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) to grab P3 on the exit of Turn 2, and a frantic opening lap then unfolded as Quartararo passed Marquez for the lead only for the number 93 to pounce back at the tight Turn 10. It was a late lunge from the Honda man as the duo ran slightly wide, with Quartararo looking for the cutback but almost losing the front, foot slipping into the air. That gave third place Miller a sniff at second, but the door quickly closed and the Aussie almost hit the back of the Frenchman ahead.
At the front, meanwhile, Marquez had pulled the pin. Eight tenths were his advantage over Quartararo as the duo started to break clear of the chasing pack, that then becoming a second as the rookie hovered close but not quite close enough. Further behind, the battle for the final place on the podium was getting intense, however, with Miller holding P3 as Morbidelli, Viñales and Dovizioso all started to close in…
It didn’t take long for Morbidelli to lead the trio past Miller, but the group was over three seconds off Quartararo at the midpoint of the race and after staying within almost-striking distance of the reigning Champion for the first half, ‘El Diablo’ was also starting to drop back. With 11 laps to go, Dovi took Morbidelli before Viñales followed suit and it soon became Dovizioso vs Viñales for the final rostrum place, with two different machines making for an interesting concertina of a duel.
As the final few laps appeared on the horizon, Quartararo had been dropped by Marquez but the Frenchman would need to be careful. Dovi had fended off Viñales and the Ducati man was on a charge, closing in by eight tenths in a single lap. Would it be enough? On the last lap, everything suddenly tightened up as Marquez cruised round for the win and Quartararo closed in; Dovizioso closing in on him…but the Italian couldn’t quite get close enough to make a final lap lunge. Marquez took the win, Quartararo second and Dovizioso third, all with big reasons to spray the prosecco with a smile on the podium: manufacturer glory, rookie genius and a century of rostrum finishes.
Viñales took fourth after just being denied the podium, ahead of Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) in P5 as the Brit beat Morbidelli by 0.047 on the run to the line to grab his first top five finish since the Czech GP. Morbidelli’s early podium hopes sadly faded as the Italian picked up P6 in Japan, with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) recovering from P11 on the grid to P7 in the race. Teammate Joan Mir rode a solid race to finish just over a second behind Rins in P8, with the Ducatis of Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) and Miller rounding out the top 10.
One name noticeably absent from that run down is that of nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who had a tough race that then ended early in a crash, as was the situation for Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini).
Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was 11th and got the better of impressive KTM-riding rookie Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) in P12, with Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) taking 13th. Mika Kallio (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) made it three KTMs in the points in P14, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) the final man to score.
That’s it from Japan and another weekend to remember for Marquez and Honda. Step two of three is now complete with the riders’ and constructors’ titles sewn up, can they catch Ducati in the team standings? Marquez also equalled Mick Doohan’s 54 premier class win tally at Motegi, and it’s not long to go until the riders are back out on track at Phillip Island for the eight-time Champion to try and go one better. Meanwhile Quartararo will arrive as Rookie of the Year, and he’ll also have his first shot at taking the honour of top Independent Team rider…on Miller’s home turf. Tune in next weekend for the Pramac Generac Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
Marc Marquez: “It was not easy, especially because we were pushing, I was pushing from the beginning because the strategy was clear. I tried to open a gap from the beginning because I felt strong in Warm Up but I started to play a lot with the switches; like you saw with fuel I was on the limit. It’s one of the worst circuits for it here so I was playing with it, then I pushed and when I had two seconds I started to play with it again. It wasn’t easy to ride that race because you have to think about a lot of things on the bike but I was able to manage it in a good way and finish the race on the limit. And the Repsol Honda Team did a great job because they found the best compromise!”
Race Results Top-3:
1 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) 42’41.492
2 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) +0.870
3 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) +1.325*Independent Team rider
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Quartararo can’t be stopped at Motegi
The rookie begins a pivotal weekend on top ahead of Viñales and newly-crowned Champion Marquez
Quartararo tops Friday times. A MotoGP image Motegi, 18 Oct 2019: Friday at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan saw Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) unleash his by-now traditional pace to top the combined timesheets, with the Frenchman ahead of the field by 0.321 seconds by the end of FP2 as he begins his bid to wrap up the Rookie of the Year title this weekend. The next man up was Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who had the tables turned on him in the afternoon after topping FP1, with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) completing the top three after a classic last dash scramble for most near the end of action.
Dry but grey skies were the name of the game on Day 1 and the program was a full one as rain threatens the rest of the weekend, with places in Q2 seemingly up for grabs already. As a manufacturer, it was Yamaha who were quickest out the blocks, with Viñales leading a 1-2-3 for the Iwata marque in the morning and Quartararo strking late to take over as the first of four Yamahas in the top six after FP2. Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was a late mover to take fifth overall on Day 1, ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) in P6.
So who spoiled the party? Only Marquez in third and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) in fourth were able put paid to Yamaha domination, although that ends up proving a good omen for both the Iwata marque and the two men who were able to join the upper echelons of the timesheets.
Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was exceedingly close to the top six, however, with the Australian seventh overall by just 0.015. He also suffered a crash on his very final lap of the day, rider ok but bike needing a little T&C overnight. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) was P8 and 0.042 off his fellow Ducati rider, with Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) impressing to end Day 1 as top Suzuki once again – just as he did in Thailand. He was 0.022 off Petrucci despite a run off at Turn 5.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) is the final man who stands to take an automatic place in Q2 if the expected weather closes in, with the Spaniard pushing out some high-profile hopefuls: Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was P11 by just 0.009, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) was 12th and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 13th. Both Rins and Crutchlow were on the podium last year behind winner Marquez, although in reverse order.
Rookie Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) was 14th on Day 1 and just ahead of Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), who locked out the fastest 15. The home hero is scheduled to undergo surgery after Motegi and miss the final three races of the season, so a solid finish will be in his sights.
Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) had a fast one at Turn 12 on Friday, but the Portuguese rider was given the all clear and will be back out on Saturday. He was 19th on Day 1.
That’s it from an interesting opening day at Motegi, as Quartararo’s Thursday assertion stands true: he doesn’t seem to pay much heed as to whether it’s meant to be a Honda or Yamaha track. But then, neither did the rest of the Iwata marque machines…can they keep that form on Saturday? Will Marquez blast back to take pole at the last venue he has yet to reign in the premier class? Or…will the weather steal the headlines? Find out who’s heading through to Q2 at 10:50 local time (GMT+9) as FP3 begins slightly later than normal, before qualifying from 15:05 to decide the grid for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan.
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Quartararo continues his march through the record books with pole at Buriram: MotoGP
The rookie sets a new lap record in Thailand and becomes the youngest to take four premier class poles
Fabio Quartararo: Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan Buriram, 5 Oct 2019: Despite a crash at the end of Q2 – a real rarity – Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) set a new lap record to qualify on pole position for the PTT Thailand Grand Prix, taking pole for the fourth time in his rookie season and becoming the youngest to do so. He also equals Jorge Lorenzo (2008) and Dani Pedrosa (2006) on number of rookie poles, with only Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) ahead of the three. Marquez was another crasher in Q2 in Thailand, however, and starts third, with Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) splitting the two record breakers to take second on the grid and make it a Yamaha 1-2.
After a rain-soaked morning, it was a dry afternoon but the weather had left Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) marooned in Q1 after a tougher Friday and the Italian was on a mission to move through. That he did, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) joining the Mugello winner in the fight for pole.
That fight began with a Marquez vs Viñales vs Quartararo shootout and ultimately, that’s the way it would remain – although two of them would later improve. Early drama came from a crash for Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) at Turn 5, ‘The Doctor’ heading back to the pits for his other machine as the clock ticked down. And Viñales stayed out later than many, the Spaniard enjoying the track pretty much to himself for a couple of laps.
Then it was showtime and the final runs. Quartararo was on top and the rookie was soon back into the red challenging his own new record, but Marquez was on a charge too. As the clock ticked down though, the reining Champion couldn’t do anything about the rookie ahead of him as Quartararo did lower his time once again, and then drama hit for the number 93. He suffered another crash and suddenly slid out of the fight, pole position out of reach on the weekend where he has his first Championship point.
Despite the crash for his key rival, Quartararo was still pushing, and the Frenchman would then end his session in much the same way, although he was similarly straight up on his feet and ok. That just left Viñales to charge for the front and the Misano polesitter did improve, but it was only enough for second as he punted Marquez down a position.
Yamaha’s great weekend at Buriram continued as Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) took fourth to head up the second row, ahead of Petrucci, who put in a stellar performance in Q2 to start as top Ducati. It was close, however, with Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) just in sixth – and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) not far behind either. ‘DesmoDovi’ starts the pivotal PTT Thailand Grand Prix from seventh on the grid, from where he’ll be hoping to launch through the pack quickly and take the challenge to Marquez. The Spaniard’s only rival for the crown must stop Marquez scoring two more points than him on Sunday is the fight is to roll on to Japan.
Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) had an impressive Saturday to take P8 on the grid and once again get the better of more veteran teammate Alex Rins, with Rins down in tenth and Valentino Rossi splitting the two Hamamatsu factory machines. The number 46 is another who will be looking for more on Sunday, not able to recover much ground on his second bike after the crash.
Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) took P11 and only completed one run in Q2 to let his injured wrist have a bit of a break, although he’s positive about going the distance on Sunday. Brother Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) took P12 to make it all six manufacturers in Q2.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) was one surprise name to miss out, and the Brit starts 13th just ahead of teammate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu).
After a serious show of pace from the likes of Quartararo and Viñales on Saturday, Marquez has his work cut out to take the crown on race day in Thailand. Can he do it? Dovizioso will be one a charge to make sure he doesn’t, so tune in for the PTT Thailand Grand Prix from 14:00 (GMT +7) on the 6th October.
MotoGP Qualifying top-3
1 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) 1’29.719
2 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) +0.106
3 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) +0.212*Independent Team rider
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Quartararo takes on Marquez as Yamaha make it a tight battle at the top in Barcelona
The rookie bests the reigning Champion, Viñales third quickest before a three-place penalty
Fabio Quartararo takes pole on Saturday at the Catalan GP. A MotoGP image Barcelona, 15 June 2019: Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) has done it again. The French rookie followed up going fastest on Friday by taking his second pole position in the premier class despite still recovering from arm pump surgery, and that despite suffering his first ever crash in MotoGP™ during FP3. It was close between the two men at the top in qualifying, however, and the number 20 only just beating reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) to pole by 0.015. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was third fastest as Saturday proved a top day for Yamaha, but the number 12 subsequently received a three-place grid penalty and will be bumped back to the second row.
An infinitesimal 0.001 advantage for Viñales means Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) just missed out on a place in the fastest trio, but the Italian was impressive and will start from the front row after the Spaniard’s penalty. A huge crash in the morning prefaced a trip through Q1, but the number 21 bounced back in qualifying and just got the better of compatriot Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) in Q2, who was the fifth fastest but now heads the second row. Rossi’s 1:39.753 was the lap that meant all four Yamahas were inside the fastest five in qualifying for the first time since Brno 2012 after a phenomenal showing from the Iwata marque.
Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) continues the Italian invasion near the front as he was sixth quickest and now starts fifth after improving on his second run and gaining a place as Viñales takes his penalty. ‘DesmoDovi’ was the fastest Ducati in qualifying, and although teammate Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) wasn’t far behind, Viñales will now split the two on the grid. Petrucci suffered a crash in Q2, as did the man just behind him: Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar).
Rins was on a hot lap when he went down and with only two minutes left on the clock, the Spaniard didn’t have the chance to improve. So it’s P8 for him and he needs another stellar first few laps like Mugello, where he picked his way through to perfection from 13th on the grid. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) starts alongside the Suzuki rider, but a few tenths in arrears.
Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) finished just 0.048 off Crutchlow to line up tenth for his home Grand Prix, with the five-time World Champion having gone straight through to Q2. Q1 graduate and rookie Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) took 11th place, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro launching from P12 at a true home race for the rider born only kilometers from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
One name missing from the normal Q2 mix was Jack Miller (Pramac Racing), who faces a fightback from P14, and he’ll be one of many to watch when the lights go out. Can Quartararo race away from pole? It’s his last chance to beat Marquez to the record of the youngest winner. Or can Marquez beat him to the holeshot? Yamaha look strong, Rossi is a record-breaker in Barcelona, Ducati always brings the pace on race day…you don’t want to miss Round 7 of the season from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with MotoGP race coming your way at 5.30 pm IST, (14:00 local time) on Sunday (GMT+2).
MotoGP Q2 Top-10 results:
1. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) – 1:39.484
2. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.015
3. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 0.226
4. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.227
5. Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 0.269
6. Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) + 0.293
7. Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) + 0.360
8. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.386
9. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) + 0.667
10. Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.715
11. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.756
12. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 0.941 -
Jorge Lorenzo hammers home his pace with sublime win in Barcelona
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) puts the hammer down in Barcelona. Photo: MotoGP Barcelona, 17 June 2018: Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) hammered home the race victory at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya in flawless style, taking victory by over four seconds to secure his second consecutive win. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) crossed the line second at his home Grand Prix to extend his Championship lead, with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) securing third place for the third race in a row.
Just like it was in Mugello, Sunday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was all about Lorenzo. However, the number 99 didn’t get the perfect launch from pole position, with Marquez out-dragging the Ducati into the first corner. Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also made a great start, slotting into second place on the opening laps, with Lorenzo sitting tightly in third.
Marc Marquez. Photo: Honda Racing The Spaniard wasn’t there for long though, keeping his composure to get past Iannone and Marquez to lead into Turn 1 on the second lap and from there, it was hammer time. By now, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was tucked up behind the number 93 in third, before the Italian crashed out at Turn 5 on lap 9 – his third DNF of the season and another massive dent in his title aspirations.
Back on track, Lorenzo and Marquez had pulled the pin, with Rossi picking up third position, 3.2 seconds back. The gap between the two Spaniards at the front flirted at just under a second, with Lorenzo looking imperious, setting 1:40.0s lap after lap. In the end, the Championship leader had no answer, and eventually finished 4.479 seconds back from the number 99 – who now draws level on points with teammate Dovizioso in the overall standings.
Valentino Rossi. Photo: Yamaha MotoGP Rossi was a lonely third at the checkered flag, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) enjoying a fantastic ride to finish as top Independent Team rider in fourth. The Brit was locked in a battle with Repsol Honda Team’s Dani Pedrosa in the latter stages of the race before getting the better of the Spaniard down into Turn 4 – Pedrosa rounded out the top five.
Maverick Viñales’ (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) opening lap woes continued, finishing the first lap down in P10 after starting fourth. The home rider managed to salvage 6th at the flag, holding off Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), with the two locked together throughout the race. Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) crossed the line eighth, with fellow Ducati rider Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) seven seconds further back in ninth.
Iannone slipped right back after a fantastic start, the Italian rounded out the top ten. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) picking up his fourth straight P11 finish, with Scott Redding (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Karel Abraham (Angel Nieto Team) the only other riders to finish the race in P12 and P13 respectively.
‘Fabulous’ Fabio Quartararo ….maiden Moto2 success. Photo: MotoGP Fabulous Fabio takes flawless first Grand Prix win
Fabio Quartararo (HDR – Speed Up Racing) stormed to a stunning first Grand Prix victory to take his first podium finish since Assen 2015 in Moto2™. The Frenchman finished 2.492 seconds ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who came through from P17 on the grid, with home rider and last year’s race winner Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) taking the final step on the podium in third.
It wasn’t the start the Frenchman would have wanted from pole position, dropping down to fourth on the opening lap as Marquez grabbed the hole shot going down into Turn 1, with Marcel Schroetter (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) slotting in behind. Oliveira again produced a lightning start to get into the top six on the first lap after starting 17th, and by lap 6 the Portuguese rider was shadowing Marquez in second.
The number 44 hit the front a lap later, but Quatararo was on the move. The double Junior Moto3™ World Champion passed Marquez into Turn 10, and set his sights on Oliveira, making his move at Turn 4 on lap 9 after the KTM rider ran slightly wide.
From there, it was an exhibition job for the 19-year-old. Quartararo was consistently the only rider to dip into the 1:43s, setting new lap records lap after lap to create a 2.2 second gap to Oliveira by lap 18. Meanwhile, the second-place man had pulled away from Marquez, with the Spaniard holding off the chasing Xavi Vierge (Dynavolt Intact GP) and the recovering teammate Schroetter, who ran wide at Turn 1 on lap 6 after setting the fastest lap of the race.
Quartararo took the checkered flag 2.492 seconds ahead, getting himself onto the top step of the podium for the first time since 2014. Oliveria crossed the line second, but was then involved in a scary looking incident with Simone Corsi (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) down into Turn 1 on the cool down lap – riders ok. Marquez held off Schroetter to earn a home turf podium, he now sits 20 points behind Bagnaia heading to Assen.
Vierge was a solid fifth at his home GP, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) holding off a late charge from Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40) to finish 6th, the Italian 0.087 behind in 7th. Championship leader Bagnaia had a disappointing day in eighth, seeing his overall standings lead cut to just one point over Oliveira.
Enea Bastianini celebrates after scoring a dramatic win. Photo: MotoGP Bastianini wins breathless Moto3™ race
Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) took his first victory since Motegi 2016 in a dramatic Moto3™ race with Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PrustelGP) taking second by 0.003 from Gabriel Rodirigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider), who secured his first Grand Prix podium and Argentina’s first GP podium since Sebastian Porto in 2005.
The lightweight class race in Barcelona was full of drama for two World Championship protagonists. Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) crashed out of the lead on lap 9 at Turn 9, with fellow-Championship rival Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) involved in a huge crash at Turn 5 on lap 16, with Albert Arenas (Angel Nieto Team) and Nicolo Bulega (SKY Racing Team VR46) also involved in the incident – Canet was stretchered away.
Then, on lap 18 of 21, there was more drama as Jaume Masia (Besta Capital Dubai) collided with Andrea Migno (Angel Nieto Team) down into Turn 1 with both in the hunt for victory – both riders were taken to the medical centre for a check-up.
An almighty battle at the front developed, with John McPhee (CIP Green Power) Bastianini, Bezzecchi, Rodrigo and Suzuki the five riders left at the front in the final three laps after the two huge crashes. McPhee led over the line onto the final lap, but it was ‘The Beast’ who expertly slipstreamed his way to the front, with Rodrigo and Bezzecchi also getting past McPhee. The Italian rode a flawless last lap to take a much-needed victory, as Championship leader Bezzecchi pipped Rodrigo on the line to grab second place – McPhee had to settle for fourth, his best result of the season.
Suzuki was an excellent fifth in the end, with reigning Junior Moto3™ World Champion Alonso Lopez (Estrella Galicia 0,0) grabbing sixth, 5.961 back from the top five.
