Nicolas Terol's perfect weekend at Brno continued as the Spaniard took pole position for the Czech Republic Grand Prix. Terol topped the timesheets in all three practice sessions and had too much speed for title rival Johann Zarco in qualifying.
Heading into the final 15 minutes, a closely fought battle for pole looked in prospect with Terol holding a narrow advantage over the Derbi pair of Zarco and Efren Vazquez. But the championship leader unleashed a series of laps that none of his rivals had an answer to.
The Bankia Aspar rider started with a 2:08.768 which opened up a half second advantage at the top, which was soon narrowed by teammate Hector Faubel, but Terol moved the goalposts again with successive laps of 2:08.452 and 2:08.118, which both would have been good enough for pole position.
Faubel was unable to match his teammate and was knocked off the front row by Zarco who moved back into second while Sandro Cortese snatched third with just over a minute on the clock. Faubel will start fourth while Luis Salom's last gasp effort demoted Vazquez to sixth.
Danny Kent was one of the stars of the session as the British teenager benefits from improved machinery. The 17 year old is upholding Red Bull Ajo Motorsport honours all on his own due to Jonas Folger's illness and did them proud with a lap time of 2:09.211 to qualify seventh, and will have some big names behind him on the grid.
Maverick Vinales is one of the biggest of all but ruined his chances of back-to-back pole positions with a crash late on dropping from fourth to ninth behind Alberto Moncayo. Sergio Gadea, Vinales' teammate in the Blusens by Paris Hilton squad, fared even worse and could only manage 11th, 1.747s off pole.
Danny Webb had a disappointing session for Mahindra after shining in the wet final practice session. The 20 year old was fourth quickest in conditions that have favoured him in the past but had to settle for 22nd in the dry. Fellow Brits Taylor Mackenzie and Harry Stafford will start line astern 30th and 31st.
Qualifying Result:
Pos | Rider | Nat | Bike | Team | Time/Gap |
1 | Nicolas Terol | SPA | Aprilia | Bankia Aspar Team | 2:08.118 |
2 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Derbi | Avant-AirAsia-Ajo | +0.385 |
3 | Sandro Cortese | GER | Aprilia | Intact-Racing Team Germany | +0.520 |
4 | Hector Faubel | SPA | Aprilia | Bankia Aspar Team | +0.571 |
5 | Luis Salom | SPA | Aprilia | RW Racing GP | +1.007 |
6 | Efren Vazquez | SPA | Derbi | Avant-AirAsia-Ajo | +1.071 |
7 | Danny Kent | GBR | Aprilia | Red Bull Ajo MotorSport | +1.093 |
8 | Alberto Moncayo | SPA | Aprilia | AndalucÃa Banca Civica | +1.303 |
9 | Maverick Vinales | SPA | Aprilia | Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing | +1.340 |
10 | Simone Grotzkyj | ITA | Aprilia | Phonica Racing | +1.472 |
11 | Sergio Gadea | SPA | Aprilia | Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing | +1.747 |
12 | Alexis Masbou | FRA | KTM | Caretta Technology | +2.079 |
13 | Adrian Martin | SPA | Aprilia | Bankia Aspar Team | +2.082 |
14 | Niklas Ajo | FIN | Aprilia | TT Motion Events Racing | +2.152 |
15 | Zulfahmi Khairuddin | MAL | Derbi | AirAsia-Sic-Ajo | +2.254 |
16 | Jasper Iwema | NED | Aprilia | Ongetta-Abbink-Metaal | +2.332 |
17 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Aprilia | AndalucÃa Banca Civica | +2.365 |
18 | Luigi Morciano | ITA | Aprilia | Team Italia FMI | +2.653 |
19 | Louis Rossi | FRA | Aprilia | Matteoni Racing | +2.710 |
20 | Jakub Kornfeil | CZE | Aprilia | Ongetta-Centro-Seta | +2.867 |
21 | Sturla Fagerhaug | NOR | Aprilia | WTR-Ten10 Racing | +3.071 |
22 | Danny Webb | GBR | Mahindra | Mahindra Racing | +3.135 |
23 | Marcel Schrotter | GER | Mahindra | Mahindra Racing | +3.137 |
24 | Francesco Mauriello | ITA | Aprilia | WTR-Ten10 Racing | +3.510 |
25 | Alessandro Tonucci | ITA | Aprilia | Team Italia FMI | +3.622 |
26 | Luca Gruenwald (WC) | NED | KTM | Freudenberg Racing Team | +3.772 |
27 | Miroslav Popov (WC) | CZE | Aprilia | Ellegi Racing | +3.966 |
28 | Joan Perello | SPA | Aprilia | Matteoni Racing | +4.301 |
29 | Giulian Pedone | SWI | Aprilia | Phonica Racing | +4.484 |
30 | Taylor Mackenzie | GBR | Aprilia | Phonica Racing | +4.503 |
31 | Harry Stafford | GBR | Aprilia | Ongetta-Centro-Seta | +4.519 |
32 | Manuel Tatasciore (WC) | ITA | Aprilia | Phonica Racing | +5.108 |
33 | Ladislav Chmelik (WC) | CZE | Aprilia | RJR Racing | +5.269 |
34 | Peter Sebestyen | HUN | KTM | Caretta Technology | +8.329 |
107% Qualifying Time: 2:17.086 | |||||
NQ | Jacub Jantulik (WC) | SVK | Honda | AMK Brno Junior Team | +10.504 |