MotoGP

Espargaro Leads Suzuki 1-2 in Catalunya Qualifying

1 Mins read

Aleix Espargaro handed Suzuki their first MotoGP pole position since Assen 2007 in a thrilling qualifying session at the Circuit de Catalunya. In a fairytale scenario for the returning Japanese manufacturer, Maverick Vinales backed up his teammate with second spot on the grid, edging out double champions Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez.

The result shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone with Vinales topping FP3 this morning, following up his teammate’s blistering pace on Friday, but in the early stages of qualifying, the usual suspects rose to the top of the leaderboard. Lorenzo was the first to draw blood with quickest lap of the weekend on his very first attempt but by the time the Yamaha man had returned to his garage, Marquez has usurped him with a circuit record 1:40.754.

Showing shades of Marquez in previous qualifying sessions, Lorenzo was opting for a three-run strategy and used his second YZR-M1 to regain pole position, clocking a 1:40.646. Unfortunately for Yamaha, they didn’t have the softest tyre option at their disposal and Suzuki used it to great effect, Espargaro going fastest with two minutes remaining while Vinales slotted in between his compatriots to hand Suzuki a dream qualifying result.

Marquez failed to improve on his second run and fell back to fourth with Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa joining him on row two, the latter advancing from Q1 before securing sixth spot. Championship leader Valentino Rossi faces another uphill struggle on race day from seventh on the grid with leading satellite riders Bradley Smith and Cal Crutchlow next to him on row three, Crutchlow having thrown away a possible front row with a crash at turn ten.

Yonny Hernandez will start tenth ahead of Pol Espargaro who also tumbled on his final qualifying run while Andrea Iannone, quickest in Q2 at Mugello, was slowest of all in the pole position shootout this time and lines up twelfth.

 

2015 G.P. MONSTER ENERGY DE CATALUNYA – QUALIFYING CLASSIFICATION

[table id=360 /]

Avatar photo
5101 posts

About author
MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and WorldSBK writer for The Checkered Flag. Contact: [email protected]
Articles
Related posts
MotoGPNASCAR Cup Series

Trackhouse Racing Team entering MotoGP in 2024

1 Mins read
NASCAR Cup Series team Trackhouse Racing will become a MotoGP team in 2024 as they partner with Aprilia to field bikes for Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez.
DakarMotoGP

Marc Marquez shoots down running Dakar Rally on bike

3 Mins read
As much as MotoGP great Marc Márquez likes the Dakar Rally, he has no interest in racing it on a bike. While it has its own challenges, he did not necessarily rule out a run on four wheels.
MotoGPSportscars

MotoGP star Rossi announced as BMW M Motorsports driver for 2023

2 Mins read
BMW M Motorsport has announced the MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi as a works driver for 2023