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Tag: Jorge Martin
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Marquez brothers grab pole positions; Marc masters wet Q2; Sunday Race times advanced
World champion Marc Marquez sets a wet track on fire at Sepang. Photo: MotoGP Sepang, 3 Nov 2018: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) secured an 80th career pole position after he mastered the wet Q2 conditions at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix. The 2018 World Champion was in superior form at the Sepang International Circuit to set a quickest lap of 2:12.161 to beat Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) by over half a second in P2, with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) lining up on the outside of the front row in P3.
It was Marquez who led the field over the line and it was he who set the first benchmark; a 2:13.641 edged out Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) – who was just behind the Spaniard on track – by 0.027, with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also within a tenth after the first lap – 0.051 splitting the top three.
Marc Marquez crashes. Photo: MotoGP With a banker lap under his belt, Marquez then slammed in a rapid second lap to considerably shift the goal posts. A 2:12.161 a full 1.264 quicker than Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) as the World Champion put daylight – and more – between himself and his rivals. However, the Repsol Honda rider then lost the front at Turn 4 and unlike he’s been able to do several times already this weekend, there was no saving this one. Down he went after setting a new session best first sector, but he was back up and in the pits with over three minutes still remaining. The aforementioned gap was 1.264 seconds, but could it be beaten? Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) shot up to P2, but he was still over a second off and then on his final flying lap, the Italian crashed at Turn 9. Iannone – following Dovi on track – had gone provisional P2 but the gap was still 0.936. A flying Frenchman then propelled himself into second; Zarco cutting the gap to eight tenths, with fellow YZR-M1 rider Rossi then leapfrogging him into second.
Johann Zarco. Photo: MotoGP In the end, no one could come close to matching Marquez and despite Zarco putting in a personal best lap to re-take P2 from ‘The Doctor’, the gap between the number 93 and his rivals was still 0.548. A masterclass from Marquez in the wet around the Sepang International Circuit, this his 80th career pole position across all classes. Zarco and Rossi join the seven-time Champion on the front row, with Iannone the only other rider within a second of pole – P4 for a second race in a row for ‘The Maniac’.
His late crash meant Dovi had to settle for P5 in Q2, with fellow Desmosedici rider Miller ending the session P6 after setting his best lap on his final lap. Behind the Australian was teammate Danilo Petrucci, with both Alma Pramac Racing riders slipping down the order after sitting on the provisional front row. Friday’s quickest rider Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) will launch from P8, just ahead of Q1 graduate Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) in P9.
Valentino Rossi. Photo: MotoGP Winner at Sepang in the wet conditions in 2012, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) qualified in P10, just ahead of compatriot and Free Practice’s fastest man Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) – P11 for the Australian GP winner. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) will line up in P12, a crash at Turn 4 in Q2 after setting the second quickest time in Q1 ended his hopes of a top ten result.
Heavy rain not only brings the Safety Car out, but even the Sunday’s schedule is advanced. Photo: Srinivasa Krishnan in Sepang. Marquez reigns in the wet, but with an updated Sunday Time Schedule, the chances of the race being dry have increased. What will the weather bring for the race? Who knows, this is Malaysia after all. But either way it’s set to be a belting battle.
New Sunday schedule for Malaysian GP
Due to weather concerns after the heavy downpour seen before qualifying for the premier class, Sunday’s race times have been brought forward for every class.
The new Sunday schedule (IST) is as follows:
Moto3 Warm Up – 05:10 AM
Moto2 Warm Up: 05:40 AM
MotoGP Warm Up – 06:10 AM
Moto3 race – 07:30 AM
Moto2 race – 08:50 AM
MotoGP race – 10:30 AM
Dominant Alex Marquez storms to Moto2 pole
Alex Marquez takes Moto2 pole. Photo: Srinivasa Krishnan Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) stormed to Moto2 pole position, setting the only 2:05 time in qualifying to better closest challenger Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) by 0.488 seconds. 2:05.629 was the lap, with Fabio Quartararo (MB Conveyors – Speed Up) completing the front row of the grid at the Sepang International Circuit.
From the outset, it was Marquez who looked menacing and sure enough on his third flying lap, the Spaniard set a sensational 2:05.629 to go 0.692 faster than anyone else. The gauntlet was well and truly thrown down, with Quartararo and Remy Gardner (Tech 3 Racing) sitting as his two closest challengers in P2 and P3 – 0.026 separating the duo, with Marini just 0.009 off a provisional front row with 15 minutes to go.
Marini went from P4 to P2 with under five minutes remaining, the gap to Marquez still 0.488 though. Quartararo, after being pushed down to P3 by Marini, then set a personal best lap, but it wasn’t enough to improve his position as the standings were set.
So it was Marquez who took pole – despite a late crash at Turn 1 – to continue his dominant weekend, with Marini and Quartararo joining him on the front row. Fourth place went to Gardner, the Australian producing career-best qualifying in P4 to finish just 0.052 off the front row, with Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) lining up alongside him in P5.
Then came the two Championship protagonists. Overall standings leader Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) lines up on the outside of the second row in P6, with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) starting just behind the Italian in P7 – the duo playing a little bit of cat and mouse in qualifying as tensions start to rise, with Bagnaia able to clinch the Moto2™ title on Sunday.
Marquez looks like he’s going to take some beating in Malaysia, but the bigger story is can Bagnaia seal the World Championship? The two title rivals line up in tandem on the grid, with Oliveira out to put the celebrations on hold. An intriguing encounter awaits.
Martin produces Malaysian magic to take Moto3 pole
Jorge Martin takes Moto3 pole. Photo: Srinivasa Krishnan Moto3 Championship leader Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) took pole for the 11th time in 2018 after setting a new lightweight class qualifying lap record. The Spaniard heads main title rival Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) by 0.032, with Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Snipers Team) continuing his strong weekend to take P3 on the grid.
It was John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) who led for the majority of the session and with 15 minutes remaining, despite Bezzecchi briefly taking over at the top, McPhee then moved the goal posts again – his advantage sitting at an impressive 0.584. However, this was immediately trimmed to 0.052 with Martin going second fastest, with Free Practice’s fastest man Arbolino then jumping up to second – 0.020 now the gap between the top two.
The standings remained the same before it was time for the final lap dash, with Martin and Bezzecchi both leaving it late to head out – the latter crossing the line with four seconds of the session remaining. Arbolino, Martin, and Bezzecchi all had red sectors in the opening two sectors, but provisional pole man McPhee was also looking to increase his advantage – and that’s exactly what he did. However, it was only by 0.060, with the three riders behind all on fast laps.
Martin came across the line to top McPhee’s new benchmark by 0.350, as Arbolino slotted into P2 after he also beat the Scotsman’s time. Bezzecchi then went quicker than both McPhee and Arbolino but lost out to his title rival by a slender 0.032. Nonetheless, the top two in the Championship lock out the top two grid slots to set us up for a tantalising race.
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Marc Marquez marks Island territory, Yamahas and Iannone in pursuit: Michelin Australian GP
Marc Marquez on way to his fifth pole position at Phillip Island. Photo: MotoGP Phillip Island, 27 October 2018: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) bounced back from a difficult Free Practice to mark his territory at Phillip Island once more, taking a fifth successive pole position at the venue in a magnificent Michelin® Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix Q2 session. Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was the closest challenger to Marquez’ 1:29.199 to line up in P2, with fellow-Yamaha rider Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completing the front of the grid in tricky conditions.
Marquez claimed the 2018 BMW M Award, with closest challenger Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) qualifying down in P9. This is the sixth consecutive time Marquez has claimed the award since arriving in the premier class, meaning he is given a brand-new BMW M car.
Vinales on pace at Phillip Island. Photo: MotoGP As premier class riders headed out to set their opening lap times, the rain started to fall as it looked like we could be in for a damp pole position shoot-out. However, this didn’t last long, and it was home hero Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) who led the charge to set the first reference lap time, before Marquez then took over the reigns – a 1:31.282 his benchmark.
Conditions were not ideal for setting a quick lap time but no matter, Marquez then moved the goal posts again on his second flying lap as the 12 riders stormed the Island. A 1:29.742 now the time to beat, with Viñales slotting into P2 – 0.082 splitting the two Spaniards.
Then, the man who dominated Free Practice went quickest: Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar). But he was then quickly ousted by Zarco as the provisional pole chopped and changed in varying Phillip Island weather. 0.007 was a minimal gap splitting the duo, with Marquez then slotting into third, 0.037 back. The Champion didn’t stay there for long though, he shot to P1 by 0.506 as the number 93 raised the bar once more – a personal and session best lap time that would prove to be crucial.
Why? Well, as most of the riders pitted for fresh rubber, the heavens opened again. However, once more the rain didn’t stay but the light sprinkling proved a stretch too far for anyone to drastically improve their times. Miller – in typical Miller fashion – had other ideas as he set orange sectors, but he wouldn’t be able to improve after a huge moment coming onto the Gardner straight. Viñales then raised eyebrows by going quickest in the first sector, but he also couldn’t hook up the final sector in the difficult conditions.
Zarco…on front row. Photo: MotoGP And that was that. An enthralling session ended with Marquez – who equals Casey Stoner’s Phillip Island consecutive pole record -, Viñales and Zarco launching from Row 1, with Iannone missing out on a front row start by 0.007. Fellow Team Suzuki Ecstar rider Alex Rins will start from P5, with Miller grabbing P6 in front of his home fans. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) will aim to challenge for a podium from P7 on the grid as he leads an all-Italian third row: Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) sits ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) in P8 and P9 respectively, this was the latter’s worst qualifying result of the season. After a huge Turn 1 FP3 crash, Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) earns his best Saturday afternoon result of the season in P10, with Q1 graduates Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Alvaro Bautista (Ducati Team) – who crashed heading into Turn 10 – completing the top 12 at Phillip Island.
An intriguing Island grid sets us up nicely for what looks set to be another barnstorming battle for Australian GP glory.
Pasini pockets pole, Bagnaia starts P16 with Oliveira 20th
Mattia Pasini. Photo: MotoGP Moto2™ qualifying threw up a surprise, but Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) taking pole number three of 2018 wasn’t one of them. The Italian, despite a late crash at Turn 4, will launch from P1 after setting a quickest time of 1:33.368, 0.256 ahead of Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) in second with his teammate Xavi Vierge third.
The surprise story of Saturday afternoon comes from the top two in the Championship. Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46), who has claimed three poles in the last five races, could only manage P16 – his worst qualifying of the season. Meanwhile, title rival Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had to settle for P20 after he also couldn’t improve his time in the latter stages.
Masterful Martin takes pole, Bezzecchi P15
Jorge Martin. Photo: jorgemartin88.net Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) stormed to a 10th pole position of the season in Moto3™, beating second-place Darryn Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) by 0.257 – a maiden front row start for the South African – as title rival Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) could only manage to qualify in P15.
A sprinkling of rain hit the Island just before the first qualifying session of the weekend got underway, but it was just a sprinkling. The rain stopped and with the Phillip Island circuit conditions getting ever better, a brilliant Moto3™ battle for pole unfolded. In the end, no one could match qualifying master Martin, with Binder picking up where he left off in Japan to launch from P2, with Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) propelling himself onto the outside of the front row on his final lap.
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Lorenzo back to winning ways and leads Ducati 1-2 finish; Dovi, Rossi complete podium
Jorge Lorenzo celebrates win at Mugello. Photo: Twitter Mugello, 03 June 2018: Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) took his first win in red as he led a 1-2 for the Ducati Team here today in the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, uncatchable and untouchable to cross the line over six seconds clear for his first victory since Valencia 2016 and his seventh Italian GP win. Andrea Dovizioso made it double podium glory for the Borgo Panigale factory as he took second, fending off a late charge from polesitter and crowd favourite Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP).
Andrea Dovizioso. Photo: Ducati The ‘Doctor’’s podium finish was another history maker in a milestone day at Mugello as the rider from Tavullia became the first to get more than 5000 premier class points, while Championship leader and reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), crashed and remounted but failed to score.
Lorenzo took the holeshot from second on the grid as Marquez shot through from the second row of the grid to blast into Turn 1 fighting for second, but Rossi held onto it until the reigning Champion then struck a lap later into San Donato, tucking in behind Lorenzo followed by Rossi, Iannone and Dovizioso.
Valentino Ross. Photo: Yamaha Racing The number 99 was keeping the pace hot at the front and the first bolt of drama suddenly then hit just behind, as Marquez slid out into the gravel at Turn 10. He was able to remount, but points looking like a pipe dream. That left Rossi trailing Lorenzo, as Dovi struck to take third from Iannone. The Italian then picked his way past another compatriot as he sliced past Rossi soon after, then left with only his teammate ahead of him. Rossi then went wide into Turn 1, letting Iannone past.
Meanwhile, Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing), after getting blocked wide by Marquez at the start, was on a charge back, up to fight and on Rossi’s tail with 16 laps to go. As Iannone began to suffer and the ‘Doctor’ too, ‘Petrux’ passed and moved through, but it was soon a five-rider fight for the podium as Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) joined the battle.
At the front, however, the story was red. Dovizioso had been holding the gap at just over a second, but Lorenzo just kept pulling the pin. Lap after lap, the ‘Spartan’ got the hammer down and simply pulled away into the distance, six seconds clear over the line, collapsing on the tank to take in the emotions.
As the laps ticked down, Rossi and Iannone had emerged at the head of the group fighting for third, with a fantastic battle between the two home heroes before the rider from Tavullia was able to escape. He was then even able to hone in on Dovizioso on the final lap but it wasn’t quite enough, taking third to take his premier class points total over 5000 as the grandstands erupted in yellow smoke.
Iannone took fourth just 0.022 ahead of his teammate Alex Rins, with Crutchlow able to get the better of Petrucci to take P6 from the initial hard charger. Maverick Viñales dropped back from his front row start to take eighth but was on Petrucci’s tail by the flag, and both had Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) for close company as the number 19 took his second top ten of the year. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completed the top ten after a more difficult weekend.
There were a number of high-profile crashers including Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing), ending his run of eight consecutive top ten, and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who went down in a tangle with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) at Turn 2 near the start.
Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), meanwhile, turned around a difficult weekend to take P11, ahead of another impressive performance from Hafizh Syahrin, who was top rookie for Monster Yamaha Tech 3 in P12. Marquez crossed the line in P16, taking no points home from Mugello.
From a difficult weekend behind enemy lines at Mugello, Marquez still leads the title fight as MotoGP™ returns onto his home turf. Next is the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya where Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Rossi have some very good memories, and Dovizioso won last year.
Oliveira wins spectacular Moto2™ race
Miguel Oliviera. Photo: Red Bull KTM Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) won a phenomenal Moto2™ race at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley to close the Championship lead to just 13 points behind Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46), who crossed the line fourth. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40) fought ferociously to get a home Grand Prix win, he finished second with Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) brilliantly taking his second consecutive podium in third.
Oliveira made a fantastic start, coming from P11 on the grid to make up six places going into the first corner, as race leader Marcel Schroetter (Dynavolt Intact GP) crashed at Turn 2. The Portuguese rider climbed his way up to third by the end of the first lap, then hit the front on lap three, with Bagnaia, Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team), Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), Mir, Romano Fenati (Marinelli Snipers Team) and Baldassarri chasing behind.
The Jerez winner then started to carve his way forward, passing Marquez into Turn 1 and taking the second EG 0,0 Marc VDS bike of Mir soon after. By this point, Oliveira was keeping tabs on leader Pasini, before the Italian tucked the front into Turn 1 – heartbreak for the pole sitter. This was the start of a half-race battle between the number 44 and number 7, interchanging positions lap by lap, with the gap to Bagnaia and Mir stretching to over a second by lap 15.
It looked like it would be a two-horse race to the checkered flag between the two, however the ‘Jaws’ music then started to sound. With Baldassarri and Oliveira chopping and changing, Bagnaia and Mir smelt blood and the battle for the win soon became a four-way fight with three laps to go.
Going into a fantastic final lap, Baldassarri had a slight buffer. However, the 21-year-old then had a huge moment on the exit of Turn 5 pushing for an illustrious second home win, which allowed Oliveira to close in and pass the Italian into Turn 6. Bagnaia was third before running slightly wide at Savelli, allowing Mir to move into the final podium position. Despite Baldassarri’s best efforts, the KTM rider held firm and took the checkered flag, with rookie Mir fending off Championship leader Bagnaia.
Moto3™: Martin beats Bezzecchi and ‘Diggia’
Jorge Martin. Photo – jorgemartin88.net Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) scored a a stunning win at the Autodromo del Mugello to claw back some momentum in the title fight after two consecutive DNFs, taking the flag by thousandths ahead of home heroes Marco Bezzecchi (Redox Prüstel GP) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) in a classic three-way photo finish.
The fifth closest podium of all time in the class didn’t disappoint, and it leaves Bezzecchi just three points ahead of Martin at the top of the Championship, with ‘Diggia’ only five points further in arrears. It also means KTM are just a single point ahead of Honda in the constructors Championship as Moto3™ stays as close as ever
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Bagnaia, Baldassarri lead the troops to France; Italians set for close battle
Lorenzo Baldassarri action. Photo: Twitter Le Mans, 15 May 2018: Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40) was in unstoppable form at the Circuito de Jerez, closing the gap between him and Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) to just nine points, with the gap between the top three in the standings just ten points. Will it be the two Italians battling it out at Le Mans in the Moto3™ race?
Turn the clocks back to almost a year ago, and it was another Italian, Franco Morbidelli, who took victory on French soil. However, Bagnaia was his closest challenger on that day, in only his fifth Moto2™ start – a track it seems the future Alma Pramac Racing rider gets on well with.
Baldassarri will have something to say about it though, especially if he can carry his blistering Spanish form into northern France. Although Le Mans is a track the 21-year-old has yet to score points at in the intermediate class, like he’s said himself after his Jerez win, Baldassarri has grown this year and with a victory already under his belt, confidence on his side of the garage will be sky high.
Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had a great weekend in Jerez – in more ways than one – as he looks to mount a serious title challenge this year. The Portuguese rider put pen to paper on a KTM Tech 3 MotoGP™ deal for 2019, while on track Oliveira crossed the line second after starting P14 on the grid. Is a fourth podium of the year – and a first win – on the cards for Oliveira at Le Mans?
It’s not just the three Championship leaders who will have a say in France though. Argentina winner Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team), who lies fourth in the overall standings, was fifth at Le Mans last year. Meanwhile, Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) will need to bounce back after his Jerez crash. He finished just off podium at Le Mans last year in fourth, but could it be at least one better in 2018?
Risk vs reward in Moto3™
Jorge Martin. Photo: jorgemartin88.net After three of the biggest names expected to contend for this year’s crown scored a 0 last time out, Aron Canet (EG 0,0), Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) and Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) will all be out for points and glory at Le Mans. And the man who now finds himself in the driving seat and was once again a dark horse at the front in Jerez? Argentina GP winner Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP).
Like on the last lap of the Spanish GP when the Italian said he stayed sensible thinking of the points, Bezzecchi is now in a position to do that again as others jostle to get back on the podium or the top step. But equally, the VR46 Academy rider knows he has the advantage – and with it, less pressure.
For Canet, of course, the fight back towards the front will be much more difficult – with the EG 0,0 rider now starting from the back of the grid as a penalty following the Jerez pile up. Will he keep his cool and fight through like those before him have done in the lightweight class? Or will the risk vs reward ratio be much harder to judge? For Martin and Bastianini, on the other hand, the goal will be simple: win. One of their key title rivals is racing from the back and the opportunity to score is a big one.
Philipp Oettl (Südmetall Schedl GP Racing) is the man who took that opportunity last time out, with a perfect ride under pressure to take his first ever GP win. That, too, could play a role – with his confidence sure to be sky high. That’s also true of rookie Alonso Lopez (EG 0,0) who, despite a late penalty of dropping one position due to exceeding track limits, crossed the line in third. Le Mans is another track he knows well from the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3™ Junior World Championship.
Source: motogp.com
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Showtime in Jerez: Cal Crutchlow sets hot pace for pole, Marc Marquez fifth
Cal Crutchlow…blowing hot in Jerez. Photo: calcrutchlow.com Jerez, 5 May 2018: Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) smashed the previous pole lap record at the newly-resurfaced Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, taking pole position for the first time since the 2016 British GP at Silverstone in some style as he topped the session and then went even faster at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, here on Saturday.
Fellow Honda rider Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), the winner at Jerez in 2017, put in another stunner to take second despite his ongoing recovery from a broken wrist sustained in Argentina, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) in third to make it eight times in a row the Frenchman will be starting the race from the front row. Reigning champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) will line up fifth.
It was a tense final shootout at the end of the session and many eyes were on Marquez as the number 93 pushed and consistently lit up the first sectors red – and then just lost out before the line.
Unable to improve on his initial fast lap, the six-time World champion was pushed off the front row and then down to fifth as Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team), the previous pole lap record holder, lit it up to take fourth and head up Row 2 at the venue at which he took his first podium for Ducati. It’s a big leap forward after a tough start to the season, with the five-time World champion consistently the quickest Borgo Panigale machine for much of the weekend and only 0.013s off the front row.
Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and teammate Andrea Iannone, after topping FP4 in reverse order, line up sixth and seventh respectively with the Hamamatsu factory a threat for the front throughout. Rins, who is racing in his first Spanish GP in the premier class after missing the event in 2017 due to injury, was only 0.007 off Marquez and just 0.003 ahead of Iannone.
Championship leader Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) lines up eighth after he was left heading through – and going fastest in – Q1, but the gap was small once again, with the Italian only 0.042 off his compatriot ahead of him. Fellow-Italian on Borgo Panigale machinery Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) completes the third row.
It was a more difficult day for Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, however. Valentino Rossi will line up tenth after just edging out his teammate by 0.014, with Maverick Viñales therefore lining up P11. Viñales, along with Dovizioso, was a graduate of Q1.
Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) lines up twelfth ahead of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), who was just left behind in Q1 by 0.040 seconds, with some solid rookie performances from Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) completing the top fifteen.
With Crutchlow on pole, master-of-Jerez Pedrosa in the middle of the front row and no-holds-barred Zarco just alongside, it will be a stunning start, not even counting lightning-fast starter Lorenzo in fourth, and the reigning Champion with a point to prove shooting through from fifth. The top 12 are covered by eight tenths.
Martin storms to pole in Moto 3 with Canet P15
Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) grabbed his 11th career pole position in Moto2 with Philipp Oettl (Südmetall Schedl GP Racing) in second – earning his first front row since Qatar last year. Martin’s fellow-Del Conca Gresini rider Fabio Di Giannantonio jumped to third on his final run after some last-minute front-end changes; his first front row start of the season.
One of the biggest headlines was Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) qualifying in 15th, the Spaniard with a huge task ahead of him on Sunday.
The session started with a huge crash for Darryn Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) at Turn 4 after colliding with the back of Livio Loi (Reale Avintia Academy) on the exit of the corner. Unfortunately, the South African dislocated his left shoulder and will miss tomorrow’s 22 lap race, declared unfit.
There was plenty of cat and mouse action going on throughout the session with Martin initially coming back into the pits to escape the melee of riders. The Spaniard didn’t have it all his own way during the session though, with Oettl setting a scorching pace to go 0.531 seconds clear of the rest with 20 minutes left on the clock. However, with just over 10 minutes to go, Martin pounced – setting a 1:46.193 to go 0.153 seconds clear of the German.
Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse), meanwhile, was up at the sharp end again in qualifying and he will spearhead the second row in P4. His compatriot Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) continues his great start to 2018 in fifth, with Angel Nieto Team Moto3 rider Andrea Migno making it an all-Italian second row in P6.
The fastest rookie in Jerez qualifying was Alonso Lopez (Estrella Galicia 0,0), with P7 his best grid position so far this year and his previous form at the venue in the Moto3™ Junior World Championship coming to the fore. Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) lines up eighth for Sunday’s race, with teammate Lorenzo Dalla Porta rounding out the third row.
Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was the leading Japanese rider in P10, with fellow countryman Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia) a solid 11th and SKY Racing Team VR46 rookie Dennis Foggia in 12th.
Makar Yurchenko (CIP – Green Power), despite a late crash, was able to qualify P13 after a good afternoon’s work for the rookie and some much improved form this weekend, with reigning Red Bull Rookies MotoGP Cup Champion Kazuki Masaki (RBA BOE Skull Rider) a slender 0.002 back in P14.
Pole for Lorenzo Baldassarri in Moto2
Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP 40) took the pole position in Moto2 ahead of Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46).
In second row were Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS).
Source: motogp.com
