Moto2
Viessmann Kiefer Racing rider Stefan Bradl set an early fast time under darkening skies at Assen in the Netherlands to put himself on pole position for the Moto2 race.
He is joined by Marc Marquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) and Simone Corsi (Ioda Racing Project) on the front row.
Having posted the fastest times in both practice sessions, Bradl stepped in front of the field early in the 45 minute Moto2 qualifying session, with a fast lap of 1’39.305 to give him his sixth pole of the 2011 season. Catalan Marquez posted an early lap 0.295s behind the German and Italian Corsi followed with a posted time of 1’39.700 to put him in third.
The skies threatened rain as the Moto2 bikes hit the track, and by the halfway point it started to fall. Riders entered the pits to wait it out or change tires, and in the last few minutes of the session most of them hazarded back out on the wet track to make the most of the already shortened weekend track time.
Tom Lüthi (Interwetten Moto2 Paddock), Yuki Takahashi (Gresini Racing) and Aleix Espargaró (Pons HP 40) make up the second row for the start of the race, while Kenan Sofuoglu (Technomag-CIP), Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing) and Michele Pirro (Gresini Racing) comprise row three. Bradley Smith (Tech 3 Racing) completed the top 10 of the qualifying session.
2011 Assen Moto2: Qualifying Results
| Pos. | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time | Gap 1st/Prev. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 65 | Stefan BRADL | GER | Viessmann Kiefer Racing | Kalex | 253.8 | 1’39.305 | |
| 2. | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | SPA | Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol | Suter | 253.0 | 1’39.600 | 0.295 / 0.295 |
| 3. | 3 | Simone CORSI | ITA | Ioda Racing Project | FTR | 252.3 | 1’39.700 | 0.395 / 0.100 |
| 4. | 12 | Thomas LUTHI | SWI | Interwetten Paddock Moto2 | Suter | 264.1 | 1’39.844 | 0.539 / 0.144 |
| 5. | 72 | Yuki TAKAHASHI | JPN | Gresini Racing Moto2 | Moriwaki | 249.5 | 1’39.890 | 0.585 / 0.046 |
| 6. | 40 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | Pons HP 40 | Pons Kalex | 252.0 | 1’39.962 | 0.657 / 0.072 |
| 7. | 54 | Kenan SOFUOGLU | TUR | Technomag-CIP | Suter | 245.4 | 1’40.123 | 0.818 / 0.161 |
| 8. | 45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | Marc VDS Racing Team | Suter | 248.7 | 1’40.149 | 0.844 / 0.026 |
| 9. | 51 | Michele PIRRO | ITA | Gresini Racing Moto2 | Moriwaki | 247.6 | 1’40.234 | 0.929 / 0.085 |
| 10. | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Tech 3 Racing | Tech 3 | 251.0 | 1’40.238 | 0.933 / 0.004 |
| 11. | 44 | Pol ESPARGARO | SPA | HP Tuenti Speed Up | FTR | 256.2 | 1’40.469 | 1.164 / 0.231 |
| 12. | 63 | Mike DI MEGLIO | FRA | Tech 3 Racing | Tech 3 | 248.9 | 1’40.550 | 1.245 / 0.081 |
| 13. | 77 | Dominique AEGERTER | SWI | Technomag-CIP | Suter | 255.3 | 1’40.647 | 1.342 / 0.097 |
| 14. | 19 | Xavier SIMEON | BEL | Tech 3 B | Tech 3 | 245.7 | 1’40.726 | 1.421 / 0.079 |
| 15. | 71 | Claudio CORTI | ITA | Italtrans Racing Team | Suter | 248.1 | 1’40.744 | 1.439 / 0.018 |
| 16. | 36 | Mika KALLIO | FIN | Marc VDS Racing Team | Suter | 249.2 | 1’40.804 | 1.499 / 0.060 |
| 17. | 4 | Randy KRUMMENACHER | SWI | GP Team Switzerland Kiefer Racing | Kalex | 252.6 | 1’40.925 | 1.620 / 0.121 |
| 18. | 75 | Mattia PASINI | ITA | Ioda Racing Project | FTR | 252.3 | 1’40.985 | 1.680 / 0.060 |
| 19. | 34 | Esteve RABAT | SPA | Blusens-STX | FTR | 252.0 | 1’41.036 | 1.731 / 0.051 |
| 20. | 13 | Anthony WEST | AUS | MZ Racing Team | MZ-RE Honda | 251.7 | 1’41.068 | 1.763 / 0.032 |
| 21. | 68 | Yonny HERNANDEZ | COL | Blusens-STX | FTR | 246.7 | 1’41.211 | 1.906 / 0.143 |
| 22. | 15 | Alex DE ANGELIS | RSM | JIR Moto2 | Motobi | 243.6 | 1’41.364 | 2.059 / 0.153 |
| 23. | 16 | Jules CLUZEL | FRA | NGM Forward Racing | Suter | 249.5 | 1’41.536 | 2.231 / 0.172 |
| 24. | 21 | Javier FORES | SPA | Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 | Suter | 245.4 | 1’41.564 | 2.259 / 0.028 |
| 25. | 29 | Andrea IANNONE | ITA | Speed Master | Suter | 247.2 | 1’41.642 | 2.337 / 0.078 |
| 26. | 9 | Kenny NOYES | USA | Avintia-STX | FTR | 245.2 | 1’41.732 | 2.427 / 0.090 |
| 27. | 14 | Ratthapark WILAIROT | THA | Thai Honda Singha SAG | FTR | 250.5 | 1’41.739 | 2.434 / 0.007 |
| 28. | 25 | Alex BALDOLINI | ITA | NGM Forward Racing | Suter | 247.9 | 1’41.908 | 2.603 / 0.169 |
| 29. | 64 | Santiago HERNANDEZ | COL | SAG Team | FTR | 248.6 | 1’41.931 | 2.626 / 0.023 |
| 30. | 49 | Kev COGHLAN | GBR | Aeroport de Castello | FTR | 250.8 | 1’42.077 | 2.772 / 0.146 |
| 31. | 88 | Ricard CARDUS | SPA | QMMF Racing Team | Moriwaki | 245.6 | 1’42.160 | 2.855 / 0.083 |
| 32. | 31 | Carmelo MORALES | SPA | Desguaces La Torre G22 | Moriwaki | 246.6 | 1’42.308 | 3.003 / 0.148 |
| 33. | 66 | Michael VAN DER MARK | NED | EAB Racing | Ten Kate | 245.3 | 1’42.565 | 3.260 / 0.257 |
| 34. | 80 | Axel PONS | SPA | Pons HP 40 | Pons Kalex | 254.1 | 1’42.682 | 3.377 / 0.117 |
| 35. | 53 | Valentin DEBISE | FRA | Speed Up | FTR | 249.9 | 1’42.908 | 3.603 / 0.226 |
| 36. | 39 | Robertino PIETRI | VEN | Italtrans Racing Team | Suter | 246.4 | 1’43.200 | 3.895 / 0.292 |
| 37. | 97 | Steven ODENDAAL | RSA | MS Racing | Suter | 246.2 | 1’44.240 | 4.935 / 1.040 |
| 38. | 95 | Mashel AL NAIMI | QAT | QMMF Racing Team | Moriwaki | 247.2 | 1’44.282 | 4.977 / 0.042 |
| 76 | Max NEUKIRCHNER | GER | MZ Racing Team | MZ-RE Honda | 239.4 | 1’53.043 | 13.738 / 8.761 | |
| 82 | Elena ROSELL | SPA | Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 | Suter |
