Indy MotoGP Qualifying 2015 Results
Just like Friday practice for the 2015 Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix, the 23-rider grid was met with sunny conditions Saturday. But unlike Friday, Movistar Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo would not top the time sheets. The Yamaha YZR-M1 pilot was quick throughout the final two free practices and qualifying, but couldn’t match the King of Indianapolis MotoGP – Marc Marquez.
The Repsol Honda RC213V pilot, who finished second behind Lorenzo Friday by a mere 0.003 of a second, led both free practices and topped qualifying, earning his third-straight pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The two-time reigning World Champion has won at the 2.591-mile circuit containing 16 turns the past two years, and he showed no remorse during Indy MotoGP Qualifying 2015.
En route to Indianapolis MotoGP pole, Marquez also set a new Fastest Lap (for 2015 Indy MotoGP) of 1:31.884. The 22-year-old Spaniard also holds the Circuit Record Lap (under race conditions, 1:32.831) and the Best Lap (fastest lap of all time at Indy, 1:31.619).
“I’m happy because FP4 went very well. Maybe the 6 tenths aren’t completely ‘real’ and there is actually only one or two tenths difference, but the positive thing is that we managed to turn around the gap that we had to Jorge yesterday,” Marques says.
“There is still the warmup tomorrow and I think everybody is improving, as the track condition is changing and we have to continue to adapt to it. Right now Jorge is the toughest rival and we must be vigilant.”
Lorenzo, who trails MotoGP points leader and teammate Valentino Rossi by 13 points, dueled with Marquez during the 15-minute Qualifying session, buthad to settle for third. Indy is known for catering to Honda RC213V machinery – Honda has won the last five races held there – and this showed when the other Repsol Honda pilot Dani Pedrosa qualified second, 0.171 behind Marquez. This makes for an all-Spaniard front-row. As for Lorenzo, he was 0.302 of Marquez’s pace.
Heading up row two is the the Brit Cal Crutchlow on the CWM LCR Honda RC213V. Crutchlow, who was 0.324 of a second behind Marquez, will be joined by Octo Pramac Racing Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci (-0.359) and Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Bradley Smith (-0.385).
Row three consists of the rider third in points, Ducati Team’s Andrea Iannone, nine-time World Champion Rossi, who won the inaugural 2009 Indy GP, and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Maverick Vinales.
Making up row four in Indy MotoGP Qualifying 2015 are Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro, and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Aleix Espargaro.
The riders return to Indianapolis Sunday for the 27-lap race – round 10 of 18 in the 2015 MotoGP Championship.
Photos by Ara Ashjian
Indy MotoGP Qualifying 2015 Results, Q2:
1. (93) Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1’31.884
2. (26) Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1’32.055, – 0.171
3. (99) Jorge LORENZO SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 1’32.186, – 0.302 / 0.131
4. (35) Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR CWM LCR Honda Honda 1’32.208, -0.324 / 0.022
5. (9) Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Octo Pramac Racing Ducati 1’32.243, – 0.359 / 0.035
6. (38) Bradley SMITH GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1’32.269, – 0.385 / 0.026
7. (29) Andrea IANNONE ITA Ducati Team Ducati 1’32.468, – 0.584 / 0.199
8. (46) Valentino ROSSI ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 1’32.511, – 0.627 / 0.043
9. (25) Maverick VIÑALES SPA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki 1’32.571, -0.687 / 0.060
10. (4) Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 1’32.636, – 0.752 / 0.065
11. (44) Pol ESPARGARO SPA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1’32.670, – 0.786 / 0.034
12. (41) Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki 1’32.814, – 0.930 / 0.144
Indy MotoGP Qualifying 2015 Results, Q1:
1. (9) Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Octo Pramac Racing Ducati
2. (4) Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati
3. (45) Scott REDDING GBR EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda
4. (8) Hector BARBERA SPA Avintia Racing Ducati
5. (68) Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Octo Pramac Racing Ducati
6. (43) Jack MILLER AUS CWM LCR Honda Honda
7. (6) Stefan BRADL GER Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia
8. (19) Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia
9. (50) Eugene LAVERTY IRL Aspar MotoGP Team Honda
10. (69) Nicky HAYDEN USA Aspar MotoGP Team Honda
11. (15) Alex DE ANGELIS RSM E-Motion IodaRacing Team ART
12. (63) Mike DI MEGLIO FRA Avintia Racing Ducati
13. (24) Toni ELIAS SPA AB Motoracing Honda