Marquez grabs another sensational pole beating Lorenzo but 10milliseconds
Phenomenal Marc Marquez of Repsol Honda grabs another sensational pole in home turf Aragon beating World Champion compatriot Jorge Lorenzo on the Yamaha by just 10milliseconds at the last minute while team mate Dani Pedrosa completed the front row for home race denying Valentino Rossi a front row by 5milliseconds in what turned out to be a 4way hot pursuit for the pole.
Pedrosa (Honda) and Rossi (Yamaha) are just 0.130 secs off Marquez´s pole time while Bautista and Bradl join Rossi in the second row.
Lorenzo set the initial benchmark with 1’48.241 which was bettered by Bradl, but it was Pedrosa who broke Casey Stoner´s 2011 the lap record of 1´47.957 on his first run.
As the final heat began Lorenzo came back on a fresh rubber with 5minutes to go and set another stupendous lap of 1´47.814 while Marquez, Rossi and Pedrosa were also turning in fastest sector time to challenge for pole which ultimately gained by the marvelous Marc Marquez by just 0.010s while Pedrosa and Rossi came in 3rd and 4th in what turned out to be a 4way battle for the pole.
The real surprise of the qualifying was none other than the 7time champion Valentino Rossi who was quick from the word go and managed get a clear track and stay out of traffic after managing to alter the balance of the bike,
Rossi on his second run was turning out a fastest RED split sector time for the very first time this year and managed to cross the line in 4th just .005s off Repsol Honda´s Pedrosa thus so far the best qualifying of the season.
Crutchlow made few unforced errors and clocked 7th ahead of Tech3 Yamaha team mate Smith while the Ducati´s of Dovizoso and Hayden sandwiched the ART CRT of Espargaro in 10th.
Results – Top 12 of Q2
Pos. |
Rider |
Nation |
Team |
Bike |
Time |
1 |
Marc MARQUEZ |
SPA |
Repsol Honda Team |
Honda |
1´47.804 |
2 |
Jorge LORENZO |
SPA |
Yamaha Factory Racing |
Yamaha |
1´47.814 |
3 |
Dani PEDROSA |
SPA |
Repsol Honda Team |
Honda |
1´47.957 |
4 |
Valentino ROSSI |
ITA |
Yamaha Factory Racing |
Yamaha |
1´47.962 |
5 |
Stefan BRADL |
GER |
LCR Honda MotoGP |
Honda |
1´48.128 |
6 |
Alvaro BAUTISTA |
SPA |
GO&FUN Honda Gresini |
Honda |
1´48.302 |
7 |
Cal CRUTCHLOW |
GBR |
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 |
Yamaha |
1´48.653 |
8 |
Bradley SMITH |
GBR |
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 |
Yamaha |
1´48.854 |
9 |
Andrea DOVIZIOSO |
ITA |
Ducati Team |
Ducati |
1´49.219 |
10 |
Aleix ESPARGARO |
SPA |
Power Electronics Aspar |
ART |
1´49.348 |
11 |
Nicky HAYDEN |
USA |
Ducati Team |
Ducati |
1´49.428 |
12 |
Andrea IANNONE |
ITA |
Energy T.I. Pramac Racing |
Ducati |
1´50.094 |