MotoGP: Martin on pole in Valencia GP; contenders outside Top 3
Jorge Martin takes MotoGP pole in Valencia GP from Marc Marquez and Jack Miller, with contenders in fourth and eighth.
Q1:
The first part in MotoGP qualifying in Valencia saw Suzuki’s Alex Rins set the pace early on with a 1m30.230s from Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales as Gresini Ducati’s Enea Bastianini was just on the bubble along with Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli.
Amid the final runs, Honda’s Pol Espargaro went down along with Bastianini which ended their chances of a Q2 run. At the front, Vinales pressed on the gas with a 1m30.090s lap to make it in Q2 along with Rins, who ended up second in the end.
Bastianini was third to start 13th despite his crash with KTM’s Miguel Oliveira jumping to 14th from LCR Honda’s Alex Marquez pushing Morbidelli to 16th. RNF Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow was 17th from VR46 Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi.
The Italian managed to take part in qualifying despite his crash and fire in FP3, as did Tech 3 KTM’s Raul Fernandez who was declared fit after his FP3 fall. Gresini’s Fabio di Giannantonio was 19th from Tech 3’s Remy Gardner and LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami.
Honda’s Espargaro was 22nd after his fall with Tech 3’s Fernandez managing to be 23rd despite his earlier crash as RNF’s Darryn Binder rounded out in 24th.
Q2:
The second part in MotoGP qualifying in Valencia GP where Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin led the way initially with a 1m29.621s lap from Ducati’s Jack Miller and Suzuki’s Rins. One half of the title contender – Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo – was fourth.
While Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia was only 11th after his first run. Amid the final runs, Ducati’s Miller had a crash with Pramac’s Johann Zarco also falling down. Martin eventually stayed on top to take MotoGP pole in Valencia GP with his original lap.
Honda’s Marc Marquez pushed himself up to second with Miller in third despite his crash. Quartararo was fourth amid dangers of yellow flag as Rins was fifth from Vinales and KTM’s Brad Binder. The Frenchman did have a moment on his final attempt.
But he was fourth still with MotoGP points leader Bagnaia was eighth from Zarco, Espargaro, VR46’s Luca Marini and Suzuki’s Joan Mir in the Top 12.
