Misano MotoGP Qualifying 2015
As the 2015 MotoGP Championship heads into round 13 at Misano Circuit Marco Simoncelli in San Marino, Movistar Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo trails teammate Valentino Rossi by 12 points.
Lorenzo, who achieved five wins so far this season to Rossi’s four, needs to do everything possible to stop the 36-year-old Italian – especially at a track just six miles from Rossi’s hometown of Tavullia.
The two-time MotoGP Champion Lorenzo began quickly at round 13, setting a new Best Lap at the resurfaced Misano during Free Practice 3. The Spaniard carried this momentum into Saturday’s qualifying, earning the 33rd pole of his MotoGP career – and 59th across all classes.
And just as in free practice, Lorenzo was on record pace; he destroyed the 2013 pole record set by Marc Marquez (1:32.915) by nearly eight tenths of second with a 1:32.146 around the 2.63-mile circuit containing 16 corners.
Lorenzo, who has never finished off the podium at Misano, which includes three-straight wins from 2011-2013, pitted twice for fresh slicks, This gave him an advantage as he qualified on top. Joining Lorenzo on the front row is Repsol Honda’s Marquez (-0.106 of a second) and Rossi (-0.212).
“Rather than pole position, it’s more important to always be first or second; I finished first in all sessions, apart from the first practice, under all kinds of conditions, with new and old tires,” Lorenzo says.
Marquez followed Lorenzo in all but the opening free practice session, which he led. The two-time reigning MotoGP Champion also took two stops en route to qualifying second.
“I think we did a good job with the bike during the whole weekend and we have a good setting. We just need to change the last details for tomorrow. It’s going to be interesting to see how the rear tire drops as this new tarmac is more abrasive. It will be difficult to keep up the same pace during the whole race, but almost everyone will have the same problems and we are prepared to do a very good race<“ Marquez says.
Rossi only took one pit stop during qualifying, but improved his free practice time by over four-tenths of a second to qualify third. Rossi and Lorenzo both used aerodynamic “winglets” on their YZR-M1 prototypes for a few sessions on Friday, but both riders didn’t use them in qualifying.
Heading up row two is Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa, who was 0.288 of a second off the pace. He will be joined by the top Ducati rider – Ducati Test Team’s Michele Pirro (-0.590), who crashed in FP4, and Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Bradley Smith (-0.655).
Ducati Team’s Andrea Iannone qualified seventh on top of the third row. The Italian will be joined by teammate Andrea Dovizioso in eighth and Octo Pramac Racing Ducati GP14.2 pilot Danilo Petrucci, who earned his first MotoGP career podium at Silverstone two weeks ago.
Team Ecstar Suzuki’s Aleix Espargaro and LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow both made it to Q2 from Q1, and will start 10th and 11th, respectively. Qualifying 12th is Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro, who also crashed during qualifing.
EG 0,0 Marc VDS’s Scott Redding well start from 13th after failing to make it through from Q1 by just 0.194s, while Loris Baz (Forward Racing) is the leading open class rider in 16th. Australian Jack Miller (LCR Honda) will start from the front of the sixth row in 16th, while Aspar MotoGP Team riders Eugene Laverty and Nicky Hayden are in 21st and 23rd respectively, MotoGP reports.
The riders return to Misano MotoGP Sunday for the 28-lap San Marino Grand Prix. For more, visit 2015 San Marino MotoGP Preview.
Misano MotoGP Qualifying 2015 Results
FRONT ROW
1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1’32.146
2. Marc Marquez (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1’32.252
3. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1’32.358
SECOND ROW
4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1’32.434
5. Michele Pirro (ITA) Ducati Team 1’32.736
6. Bradley Smith (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech3 1’32.801
THIRD ROW
7. Andrea Iannone (ITA) Ducati Team 1’32.821
8. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Ducati Team 1’32.934
9. Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Octo Pramac Racing 1’33.169
FOURTH ROW
10. Aleix Espargarò (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar 1’33.187
11. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) CWM LCR Honda 1’33.220
12. Pol Espargarò (SPA) Monster Yamaha Tech3 1’33.222
FIFTH ROW
13. Scott Redding (GBR) Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS 1’33.340
14. Maverick Viñales (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar 1’33.439
15. Yonny Hernandez (COL) Octo Pramac Racing 1’33.710
SIXTH ROW
16. Loris Baz (FRA) Forward Racing 1’34.093
17. Jack Miller (AUS) CWM LCR Honda 1’34.137
18. Hector Barbera (SPA) Avintia Racing 1’34.296
SEVENTH ROW
19. Stefan Bradl (GER) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1’34.333
20. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1’34.368
21. Eugene Laverty (IRL) Aspar MotoGP Team 1’34.468
EIGHTH ROW
22. Mike Di Meglio (FRA) Avintia Racing 1’34.722
23. Nicky Hayden (USA) Aspar MotoGP Team 1’34.732
24. Claudio Corti (ITA) Forward Racing 1’35.385
NINTH ROW
25. Karel Abraham (CZE) AB Motoracing 1’35.406
26. Alex De Angelis (RSM) E-Motion IodaRacing Team 1’35.684