Luca Marini on top in Moto2.
Image: Supplied.
Maverick Viñales and the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team have done it again, stealing pole position and a new lap record at the Gran Premio dell’Emilia Romagna e della Riviera di Rimini – part two of the Misano MotoGP double header.
It was the third pole position of the season and three in a row at Misano for Viñales, who said he could feel the improvement from last weekend. “I struggled a lot on Friday and in FP3 especially in the first laps, but I was trying to work on race setup,” he commented. “I worked hard on race conditions and I hope it pays off tomorrow.”
Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) came within 0.076s of the factory Yamaha after having to fight his way into Q2 through Q1, with Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) taking third for the second week running.
Viñales slotted into top spot at the start of Q2, with Pecco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) close behind. Bagnaia eventually went faster and held provisional pole until Viñales once again broke the record, with Bagnaia having one last shot only to be penalised for exceeding track limits. Had it of been legal, that lap would have beaten Viñales for pole. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) improved this week to fourth, up from eleventh the week before. Bagnaia ultimately took fifth, one spot ahead of Brad Binder on the second KTM Factory machine.
Heading row three is Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) with last weeks winner Franco Morbidelli just behind him. Danillo Petrucci (Ducati Team) was the first of the factory Ducati machines, ahead of teammate Andrea Dovizioso who had also had to battle through Q1. Both Suzuki’s are out of the top ten with Joan Mir in 11th and Alex Rins back in 18th.
Image: Supplied.
In Moto2 it was last weeks race winner and ultimate pole sitter Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) who got the job done again, clinching pole and also setting a new lap record of 1m35.271s in the process. His teammate Marco Bezzecchi was 0.036s behind with Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) rounding out the front row. Last weeks top qualifier Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), this week without penalty, will head the second row. Australian Remy Gardner (OneXOX TKKR SAG Team) is sitting out this race as he is recovering from surgery on his broken thumb, sustained in Sunday morning warm up last weekend.
In Moto3 Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Raul Fernandez clinched his third pole position of the seaso, stealing the top spot with just 30 seconds remaining from local Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team). Italian Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46) put in a late charge to complete the front row.
In MotoE World Cup action, Dominque Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) survived a last lap battle to take the victory in race one from Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) and Matteo Ferrari (Trentino Gresini MotoE), with all three covered by a tenth at the flag. Ferrari had crossed the line second, but was demoted one position to P3 for exceeding track limits on the final lap.
Australian Josh Hook (Octo Pramac MotoE) finished a credible eighth while frontrunner Eric Granado (Avintia Esponsorama Racing), having made his way past Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadracorse) crashed out, taking out Xavier Simeon (LCR E-Team) with him at the tight turn four right-hander. With race one results determining the grid for race two, both will be starting from the back of the grid for tomorrow.
Source: CycleOnline.com.au