Down to the final 30 seconds in one of the closest top tens
Marc Marquez took the 75th pole position of his GP career at Assen today, the 47th in the premier class, after a heart-in-the-mouth Q2 session in blazing sunshine at the classic Dutch TT circuit.
But it was as close as anything, with 11 of the top 12 within half a second, all but for one thousandth; and the names heading the list shuffling furiously as a gang of riders followed one another over the line in the closing moments.
When the chequered flag fell, Andrea Iannone (Ecstar Suzuki was on pole from Mugello and Catalunya winner Jorge Lorenzo’s Ducati. By the time the rest of them had finished the lap, they were knocked down to ninth and tenth respectively.
Iannone, Dutch MotoGP 2018
Marquez had always threatened over two days. He achieved it by less than half a tenth, at a track that has not always favoured him and the Repsol Honda.
“It looks like this year we are able to have a good pace. One lap is not my strong point. I am better with race pace,” he said, threateningly. Combined times over the two days of practice bore him out.
The man pushing into second was Cal Crutchlow (Castrol Honda), who explained that when he saw a group of six or seven forming behind him, “I didn’t want to qualify eighth,” so he dropped to the back and then used their pace. “I knew where my bike was strong, and I didn’t push in the corners where it was not so easy.”
It was a surprising leap up the order for Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha), claiming a fourth successive front row; and a surprise that he had overcome the setback of a fast crash in the final free practice not long before. But no surprise at a track where he is always strong, with ten past wins.
Rossi, Dutch MotoGP 2018
He too had been helped by following a fast group. “It always helps at Assen, with the fast corners, and especially today because there was a lot of wind. After the crash in FP4, I could recover my rhythm after three or four laps. After that, it was a waiting game,” he said.
He pushed Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) to the second row by two hundredths. Earlier leader Alex Rins (Ecstar Suzuki) was fifth – a strong showing, after having to come through from Q1; and yesterday’s leader Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha) alongside, still barely two tenths off pole.
Dovizioso, Dutch MotoGP 2018
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) heads row three from late-comer Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha), also through from Q1, and Iannone. Lorenzo, Alma Pramac Ducati rider Danilo Petrucci and Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Ducati) complete row four.
This left Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda) best of the rest, with former Assen winner Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) 16th, and the off-form Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) 18th, all narrowly failing to get through from an equally close Q1.
Miller, Dutch MotoGP 2018
Moto2 Qualifying
The red flags came out with just three-and-a-half minutes remaining, after Finnish SIC Kalex rider Niki Tuli fell heavily at the Strubben hairpin, and was stretchered away.
The Moto2 field burst out of pit lane en masse when it was re-opened, but nobody could improve in the ensuing high-speed scrum, and championship leader Pecco Bagnaia had already done enough at the start of the session to secure his second pole of the season.
Again, times were ultra-close, with second-fastest Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact Kalex barely seven hundredths slower, and fully 22 riders all within the first second.
Rossi’s half-brother Luca Marini (SKY VR46 Kalex) was third for his first front-row start.
Alex Marquez (EG-VDS Kalex) walked away from a bruising high-speed tumble at the end of the back straight, but retained fourth place to lead the second row from Xavi Vierge (Dynavolt Intact Kalex) and Sam Lowes (SII KTM); with Catalunya winner Fabio Quartararo (Speed Up) leading row three.
Title challenger Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) was just over half a second off pole, but down in 17th place, one ahead of returned injury victim Remy Gardner (Tech 3). Second Red Bull KTM rider Brad Binder was 22nd.
The times promise a desperately close race.
Moto3 Qualifying
Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Honda) bounced back from his heavy crash yesterday to seize a record 14th Moto3 pole position, at a record pole time for the Dutch circuit.
Martin’s late run ousted Catalunya winner Enea Bastianini (Leopard Honda) from a second successive pole. But the KTM fight-back continued, with Nicolo Bulega taking a second straight front row on the SKY VR46 machine.
Aron Canet (EG Honda) leads row two from second Leopard Honda rider Lorenzo Dalla Porta; with another KTM in sixth – John McPhee’s CIP bike.
Times were not as close as sometimes, with just ten inside one second.
Championship leader Marco Bezecchi (Redox KTM) was eighth, between Di Giannantonio (Honda) and Ramirez (KTM), with Rodrigo (KTM) rounding out the top ten.
Crowds, Dutch MotoGP 2018