Qualifying Results
Gresini Racing Moto2’s Toni Elias needed medical help from the Clinica Mobile before taking the first ever Moto2 pole position. The Spaniard broke bones in his left hand and right foot during a testing crash at Jerez 10 days ago and is far from full fitness.
Still, he was the best of a close field of Moto2 riders, all of whom were riding with control Honda engines and on control Dunlop tyres. Julian Simon, Mapfre Aspar Team, starts from second place on the grid with Helmut Bradl third for Viessmann Kiefer Racing.
The top 13 were covered by one second, with the first five riders all on different chassis.
Toni Elias 1st – 2m 01.904s
“I´m happy and surprised because I didn´t expect to go so fast after this evening´s free practice, which didn´t go well – partly due to my physical condition but also partly due to the set-up. The team worked hard to give me an easier bike to ride and then I was lucky to get behind Simon, who I was able to follow. I gave it everything and ended up with a magnificent lap time. Honestly speaking when I was back at home starting my rehabilitation I was thinking it would be hard to even make it out to Qatar and when I eventually made it out here I was struggling. Psychologically I have had to be really strong and I´ve adapted to the situation. I´m really happy.”
Julian Simon 2nd – 2m02.032s
“I am really happy because we have improved in every session this weekend. We haven’t completely solved the chattering problem but the feeling is definitely better and so are the lap times. It is going to be exciting to be part of the first ever Moto2 race. With so many riders out there and the top guys so close together the start is going to be crazy – it will be really important to stay focused on not giving up positions. I’m so pleased to be on the front row because it shows the mentality from last season remains the same and I’ve carried my good form into this season. The team is also responsible for that. Hopefully we can finish the weekend off in the right way with a good points haul and maybe even a victory!”
Yuki Takahashi 5th – 2m02 .295s
“Fifth place is not a bad result but it would have been nice to have been on the front row in the first ever Moto2 qualifying session. But starting from the second row means we are in a strong position for the race and I’ve been able to do consistent lap times on race tyres. Looking at the lap times it is going to be an exciting battle with everybody so close, so being high up the grid is going to be a big advantage. I think I might have been able to get on the front row but at the end I lost a bit of time in traffic. I think I could have been two or three tenths faster and that would have put me on the front row. I’m still happy with fifth and I am really looking forward to the race now. It is an honour for me to represent Tech 3 and I’m determined to do my best because the team has put in an incredible amount of effort to get the bike so competitive.”
Raffaele de Rosa 7th – 2m02.560s
“I am really happy to have finished in the top ten because it has not been an easy winter for me. I’ve got to say a big thanks to the Tech 3 Team because they have given me fantastic support and now hopefully I can start showing my true potential. I am excited about the race because we spent a lot of time checking old race tyres to see how many laps I could do. We do have some problems with the rear tyre spinning under acceleration, but in general I’m really happy and hopeful of a strong race. It is obvious that we have made a big step with my confidence with the bike and I’m thinking positive going into the race tomorrow night having finished so close to Yuki, who has been very fast in testing and now here. It will be important to get a good start and pick up some vital early points, but it will not be easy looking at how close the lap times are.”
Alex Baldolini 10th – 2m02.866s
“I’m satisfied because we used in a right way these two days to improve the setting and to solve some small problems to our bike. In the qualifying practice I always rode with a good pace and this gives me sureness for tomorrow. I like the behavior of my bike and I could finally demonstrate my valour. Surely tomorrow’s race will be very fought.”
Gabor Talmacsi 14th – 2m02.916s
“During this weekend it was very important to try different settings for the bike, which made my position on the classification swing each time. We aren’t far from the fastest rider, but we are many riders and it’ll be a very competitive race. In the warm up we’ll have the chance to try some changes to the bike and, if the modifications will be good, we’ll keep them for the race.”
Tom Lüthi 16th – 2m03.041s
The free practice started off quite well. Then the rear brake started burning and I lost time. At the end I was faster again and it looked well for me. But this fast times I had in the last couple of laps and it didn’t help me. At the qualifying I started with a good time and was in the group of the front riders. But we are missing the first day of practice as we had those engine problems yesterday. I wanted to try more tyres today, but we simply did not have the time. The starting point for the race is just too far off the pace.
Ratthapark Wilairot 19th – 2m03.192s
“I was in the top 10 during all the free practice sessions and I set a good lap time. In the qualifying session I started scoring good times but I had a crash because of a defective front tyre. This fact conditioned my tests but my team is working hard every day to improve the aerodynamics. I want to thank them for their great job because they quickly repaired my bike after the fall. I went back to the track and I could improve my times and I end up in 19th position. Tomorrow we have to make a clever start and be cautious to what the 18 riders ahead and the 21 behind will do.”
Andrea Iannone 21st – 2m03.258s
“We got faster session by session, 1 second less each time, and that’s good. At the moment we’re 1.3 seconds off the first classified, we have to do our best to be fast. I’m very happy with the work done by my crew, the changes that they’re making on the bike are working. This allows me to hope: tomorrow we’ll fight to achieve a good race result and I’ll keep gaining experience on this bike.”
Vladimir Ivanov 33rd – 2m04.470s
“I´m really not happy today and I can´t tell you what it was that didn´t work – me or the bike. Either way I am at the back of the grid and after yesterday´s session I was hoping for much better.”
Bernat Martínez 41st – 2m06.310s
“I try to score good lap times but the adaptation to my bike is being harder than I expected. Now we are working to turn me and my bike into an effective couple so that riding becomes simpler. I think the adaptation to the new moto2 is difficult since I had never ridden this kind of prototypes. Anyway, I am confident for tomorrow’s race and I have to make and excellent start to place myself between the first 25 riders. Tomorrow it will be a day to gain kilometers of experience with which we will work in the following races.”
Pole position : 2m01.904s (158.879Km/h) Toni Elias, Gresini Racing Moto2, 2010
Fastest lap : NA
Circuit record lap : NA
Circuit Best Lap : 2m01.904s (158.879Km/h) Toni Elias, Gresini Racing Moto2, 2010
Qatar Moto2 Qualifying Position
1 Toni Elias 2m01.904s SPA HONDA Gresini Racing Moto2
2 Julian Simon +0.128s SPA HONDA Mapfre Aspar Team
3 Stefan Bradl +0.134s GER HONDA Viessman Kiefer Racing
4 Alex De Angelis +0.197s SMR HONDA Scot Racing Team
5 Yuki Takahashi +0.391s JAP HONDA Tech 3 Racing
6 Jules Cluzel +0.462s FRA HONDA Forward Racing
7 Raffaele De Rosa +0.656s ITA HONDA Tech 3 Racing
8 Alex Debon +0.855s SPA HONDA Aeroport de Castello – Ajo
9 Shoya Tomizawa +0.867s JPN HONDA Technomag-CIP
10 Alex Baldolini +0.962s ITA HONDA Caretta Technology Race Dept
11 Sergio Gadea +0.977s SPA HONDA Tenerife 40 Pons
12 Roberto Rolfo +0.979s ITA HONDA Italtrans S.T.R.
13 Mike De Meglio +0.992s FRA HONDA Mapfre Aspar Team
14 Gabor Talmacsi +1.012s HUN HONDA Fimmco Speed Up
15 Niccolo Canepa +1.098s ITA HONDA Scot Racing Team
16 Thomas Luthi +1.137s SWI HONDA Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2
17 Scott Redding +1.225s GBR HONDA Marc VDS Racing Team
18 Mattia Pasini +1.251s ITA HONDA JiR Moto2
19 Ratthapark Wilairot +1.288s THA HONDA Thai Honda PTT SAG
20 Dominique Aegerter +1.328s SWI HONDA Technomag-CIP
21 Andrea Iannone +1.354s ITA HONDA Fimmco Speed Up
22 Arne Tode +1.437s GER HONDA Racing Team Germany
23 Karel Abraham +1.442s CZE HONDA Cardion AB Motoracing
24 Fonsi Nieto +1.486s SPA HONDA G22 Holiday Gym
25 Lukas Pesek +1.627s CZE HONDA Matteoni C.P. Racing
26 Simone Corsi +1.684s ITA HONDA JiR Moto2
27 Yonny Hernandez +1.731s COL HONDA Blusens-STX
28 Claudio Corti +1.821s ITA HONDA Forward Racing
29 Valentin Debise +1.848s FRA HONDA WTR San Marino Team
30 Kenny Noyes +1.888s USA HONDA Jack & Jones by A.Banderas
31 Axel Pons +2.397s SPA HONDA Tenerife 40 Pons
32 Hector Faubel +2.513s SPA HONDA Marc VDS Racing Team
33 Vladimir Ivanov +2.566s RUS HONDA Gresini Racing Moto2
34 Joan Olive +2.572s SPA HONDA Jack & Jones by A.Banderas
35 Vladimir Leonov +2.675s RUS HONDA Vector Kiefer Racing
36 Robertino Pietri +2.725s VEN HONDA Italtrans S.T.R.
37 Mashel Al Naimi +2.967s QAT HONDA Blusens-STX
38 Anthony Delhalle +3.008s FRA HONDA Qatar Endurance Racing Team
39 Anthony West +3.458s AUS HONDA MZ Racing
