Redding Takes Pole at Circuit of the Americas Moto2 Debut

2013 Austin Moto2 Qualifying Results from Circuit of the Americas

The Marc VDS Racing Team pilot who finished the opening round of Moto2 at Qatar two weeks ago, Scott Redding, secured Saturday the pole position for the Moto2 race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Redding, who also led the second free practice, though had some issues in the the first free practice, will be joined on the front row by Ilaltrans Racing Team’s Takaaki Najagami and Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2’s Nicol Terol.

This was the first Moto2 pole for Redding, who sits second in the standings. He posted a 2:10.577 and was almost seventh tenths of a second quicker than Nakagami.

Terol, who achieved his first Moto2 front row, was just two hundredths of a second down on Nakagami as Tuenti HP 40’s Esteve Rabat and Technomag carXpert’s Dominique Aegerter rounded out the top five.

There was drama in the way of falls in the closing stages, as Dynavolt Intact GP’s Sandro Cortese and QMMF Racing Team’s Rafid Topan Sucipto fell simultaneously.

Just minutes later, Blusens Avintia’s Toni Elias saw his last lap go up in smoke as he also lost control. All three riders escaped injury, although Cortese, the reigning Moto3™ title-holder, was frustrated to be left 20th on the grid.

Pol Espargaro and Tuenti HP 40 had improved from seventh place on Friday to the top of the classification in final practice, but the Spaniard, suffering a lack of front-end grip, was knocked back down to his previous position in qualifying. He will start the race behind NGM Mobile Racing’s Simone Corsi.

Joining Espargaro on Row 3 will be Desguaces La Torre Maptaq’s Xavier Simeon and Redding’s teammate Mika Kallio, as Julian Simon completed the first ten on the second Italtrans machine.

2013 Austin Moto2 Qualifying Results (Circuit of the Americas):