Moto2

Bagnaia Takes Pole to Take Title Advantage

1 Mins read
Francesco Bagnaia - Pole Position - Silverstone
Francesco Bagnaia - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

Francesco Bagnaia took a last-gasp pole position for the British Grand Prix to give himself a sizeable start-line advantage over championship rival Miguel Oliveira. The Sky VR46 rider struck with the final lap of the afternoon to deny Tech 3’s Remy Gardner and with Oliveira’s qualifying problems returning to leave him 23rd, Bagnaia looks well placed to extend his championship lead.

The intermediate class riders had to wait patiently to get their qualifying session underway after heavy rain earlier in the afternoon caused an hour-long delay to proceedings. Fortunately for Moto2, conditions had markedly improved by the time their qualifying session finally started shortly after 4pm local time.

Provisional pole changed hands regularly throughout the session as conditions gradually improved, with Bagnaia largely keeping his powder dry until the final five minutes. With Spaniard Iker Lecuona dreaming of a maiden pole position, Bagnaia clocked a 2:08.551 lap to grab provisional pole two and a half minutes from time.

Marcel Schrotter had topped the timesheets in both practice sessions to dodge the showers and looked on course to prevail again, going fastest 20 seconds before the chequered flag flew, with Bagnaia busy berating himself after overshooting Becketts. The Italian regathered his composure just in time though, allowing him to respond to Gardner’s shock lap, and claim a crucial pole position.

Alex Marquez also saved his best until last to qualify third, knocking Schrotter off the front row, while Luca Marini and MotoGP-bound Fabio Quartararo complete the second row. Mattia Pasini was seventh, with Lecuona dropping to eighth alongside his SII team-mate Sam Lowes.

 

Moto2 GoPro British Grand Prix (Qualifying)

[table id=3358 /]

Avatar photo
5101 posts

About author
MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and WorldSBK writer for The Checkered Flag. Contact: [email protected]
Articles
Related posts
Moto2Moto3MotoEMotoGP

MotoGP: Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta updates on 2020

3 Mins read
Dorna CEO updates on 2020: we’re trying to maintain the races, which is the most important thing.
Moto2Moto3MotoEMotoGP

MotoGP: German, Dutch and Finnish Grand Prix cancelled

1 Mins read
The German, Dutch and Finnish Grand Prix are cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Moto2

Sam Lowes - Every day I feel stronger

2 Mins read
Marc VDS rider Sam Lowes gives the lowdown on his current day-to-day life as he recovers from his shoulder injury under lockdown from Coronavirus.