2014 Austin MotoGP Qualifying | Marquez Secures Pole with Record Lap

2014 Circuit of the Americas Qualifying Results

So far in 2014 MotoGP, Marc Marquez is unstoppable. The 21-year-old Spaniard won the opening round at Qatar’s Losail from the pole – six weeks after breaking his right leg – and carried this performance into Austin’s Circuit of the Americas.

The Repsol Honda swept all four free practices, and continued the momentum into qualifying . And with a scorching lap of 2:02.886 – a new lap record at the 3.426-mile Texas circuit – Marquez earned the pole.

This was Marquez’s second pole in two of 18 rounds in 2014 MotoGP, and the 11th of his premier-class career. Marquez also took his first premier-class victory during COTA’s debut last season.

The reigning MotoGP Champion will be joined on the front row by teammate Dani Pedrosa and LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl, making for an all-Honda RC213V front-row lineup. Pedrosa trailed Marquez by 0.289 of a second, and Bradl by 0.423 of a second.

As for the second row, it will be filled by all Yamaha YZR-M1 machinery. But it’s not a factory Yamaha on top; it’s an Open-option bike, the NGM Forward Racing Yamaha piloted by Aleix Espargaro.

The Spaniard finished 0.467 off the top time, and just 0.040 ahead of two-time MotoGP Champion Jorge Lorenzo on the Movistar Yamaha MootGP bike. Valentino Rossi was the last to qualify on the second row, the nine-time World Champion finishing a mere 0.001 of a second behind Lorenzo. Rossi was also the final rider to post within a second of Marquez.

Heading up the third row is Ducati Team’s Cal Crutchlow, who was 1.007 seconds back. The Brit will be joined on the third row by his fellow countryman, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Bradley Smith, and Pramac Racing Ducati’s Andrea Iannone.

On the fourth row will be Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro, and GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista.

The fastest ‘Open’ Honda rider Scott Redding will start just behind his GO&FUN Honda Gresini teammate Bautista at the head of row five, having missed Q2 by just 0.074s.

As for the Americans, Drive M7 Aspar Honda’s Nicky Hayden qualified 14th, and NGM Forward Racing’s Colin Edwards 19th.

The 23-rider grid returns to the Circuit of the Americas for the race at 3 p.m. ET. Catch all the action live on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 3 p.m. ET.

Photos by Ara Ashjian

2014 Circuit of the Americas Qualifying Results:

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