The sun came out for qualifying after an iffy start to Saturday – and shone on Marc Marquez, as the Repsol Honda rider surged back to the top at the close of a lively Q2 session for the premier class.
His title rival Andrea Dovizioso was left lurking in the shadows. The only Ducati rider to make it into the top qualifying session after his factory team-mate Jorge Lorenzo hurt himself in the morning, Dovi’s end-of-session bid was ruined by a mistake midway round the sweeping 4,448-km Phillip Island circuit, and he qualified 11th, in the middle of the fourth row of the grid.
It was the defending champion’s seventh pole of the year, the 72nd in his career, and a boost to his hopes of recovering ground in the championship over his Motegi victor Dovizioso. Having towed round Iannone and Miller on his first run, then being consigned by Zarco and Vinales, “I knew I could be faster with my second tyre, and I tried to find a chance without traffic.”
Maverick Vinales overcame persistent wheelspin problems with his Movistar Yamaha to claim second, crediting the softest rear Michelin for the improvements. However it is a doubtful choice for the race. “We are still a little bit away. For tomorrow we have to develop,” he said.
Johann Zarco was pleased with a second successive front row after his Motegi pole, at a track that didn’t favour him in Moto2. He credited Michelin tyres and his Yamaha’s good front feeling for giving him new-found confidence to attack the fast corners.
Ecstar Suzuki’s Andrea Iannone and returned injury victim Jack Miller (VDS Honda) lead row two, thanks to the early tow round by Marquez; and on-form Pol Espargaro will start alongside: sixth the best yet qualifying for the new Red Bull KTM. His team-mate Bradley Smith had also managed to join him in Q2 after placing second in Q1, and qualified ninth.
Valentino Rossi had also been obliged to make his way through Q1, and his Movistar Yamaha leads row three from yesterday’s leader Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) and Smith.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) crashed on his fast lap, and will lead row four, with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda).
But in between them, title hopeful Dovizioso, third-fastest yesterday, but crashing in FP4 – only his fifth fall this year. He left his fast run to the end, and it went wrong.
Second factory Ducati rider Jorge Lorenzo was even worse off, mired in Q1 and 16th on the grid. He was hampered by a heavy fall in FP3 that left him with a sprained left ankle, with further medical investigation scheduled.
Alex Rins (Ecstar Suzuki) just missed the Q1 cut, ahead of Tito Rabat and Karel Abraham.
Moto2
Moto2’s rain trouble came just as the field left pit lane on slick tyres, but the shower didn’t last and the track soon dried – leaving the way open for Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Kalex) to return to the qualifying form that has earned him five pole starts in the last seven races.
His success came at the expense of FP3 leader Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM), who was third after his best hopes were thwarted by heavy traffic.
In between, yet another different chassis, with Marcel Schrotter putting the upgraded Suter chassis in second place for the Dynavolt team. He was just 0.006 of a second away from a career-first pole.
Championship leader Franco Morbidelli (VDS Honda) was fifth, in the middle of row two, flanked by Moto3 champion Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) and his own team-mate Alex Marquez, fresh from victory in Japan.
But it was a disappointing session for Tom Luthi, Morbidelli’s closest title rival and narrow winner from the Italian here last year. The CarXpert Kalex rider qualified tenth on row four. Ahead of him on row three: free practice leader Nakagami, dispossessed ex-Misano winner Aegerter and his own team-mate Jesko Raffin.
Moto3
Moto3 qualifying was cut short by a few minutes by an end-of-session shower. By then, Jorge Martin had pushed through to take his eighth pole of the season, the Del Conca Honda rider displacing another regular fastest qualifier Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA KTM).
The rain denied Joan Mir (Leopard Honda) a chance of pole, but the points leader was third and on the front row anyway. After eight wins this year, Mir can become the first champion of the year if he finishes first or second.
If he is lower than that and Romano Fenati (Rivacold Honda) wins, then the contest will stay open for one more race.
Fenati was all over Mir in qualifying, ending up fifth in the middle of row two, between Guevara’s KTM and his own team-mate Danilo.
- Threats of punishment including disqualification by Race Direction appeared to have worked. Moto3 qualifying was free of riders dawdling, trying to pick up a tow from a faster rider.
By Michael Scott