2016 Catalunya MotoGP Qualifying Results
The racing must go on – that was the overall consensus of the Grand Prix riders following the death Friday of Luis Salom during Moto2 free practice at Catalunya-Barcelona Circuit.
Though Friday’s sessions were halted, Saturday went on as schedule with the remaining free practices and qualifying. Due to Salom’s wreck at the fast turn 12, the race circuit was modified to bypass that section.
And under clear conditions, Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez earned his third pole of 2016 MotoGP, and his first in Barcelona. The other two came at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas and Argentina’s Termas de Rio Hondo – and Marquez won both of those rounds.
The 23-year-old Spaniard had his home crowd cheering, bringing some upbeat to the somber scene at Catalunya-Barcelona Circuit.
The two-time MotoGP Champion, who just extended his Repsol Honda contract, was the only rider to post under the 1:44 mark; his quickest time was 1:43.589. Marquez was in dominate form, qualifying 0.467 ahead of the man he chases by 10 points in the MotoGP title hunt after six of 18 rounds, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Jorge Lorenzo.
The Spaniard, a three-time MotoGP Champion, is seeking his third-straight win before his home crowd in Barcelona. Lorenzo won the Catalunya MotoGP round last season; it was one of seven wins before he earned the 2016 MotoGP title.
Lorenzo does admit, though, that the Yamaha struggles under heavy braking in the final sector.
Earning the final front-row qualifying position was Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa, who finished 0.718 of a second behind Marque and a mere 0.015 of a second ahead of Avintia Racing Ducati’s Hector Barbera, making for four Spaniards in the top-four qualifying positions.
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi qualified fifth, ahead of Team Suzuki Excstar’s Maverick Vinales.
Qualifying on row there were LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow Ducati Team’s Andrea Iannone, the final rider within a second of Lorenzo, and Octo Pramac Racing Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci. Rounding out the top 10 was Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso
The 21-rider grid returns to the Catalunya-Barcelona circuit Sunday for a warm up at 9:40 a.m. local time, ahead of the Grand Prix of Catalunya.
For more, visit Ultimate MotorCycling’s MotoGP Page.
Photos by Luciano Bianchetto
2016 Catalunya MotoGP Qualifying Results
FRONT ROW
1. M. MARQUEZ REPSOL HONDA TEAM 1’43.589
2. J. LORENZO MOVISTAR YAMAHA MOTOGP 1’44.056
3. D. PEDROSA REPSOL HONDA TEAM 1’44.307
SECOND ROW
4. H. BARBERA AVINTIA RACING 1’44.322
5. V. ROSSI MOVISTAR YAMAHA MOTOGP 1’44.324
6. M. VIÑALES TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR 1’44.329
THIRD ROW
7. C. CRUTCHLOW LCR HONDA 1’44.366
8. A. IANNONE DUCATI TEAM 1’44.458
9. D. PETRUCCI OCTO PRAMAC YAKHNICH 1’44.911
FOURTH ROW
10. A. ESPARGARÒ TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR 1’44.914
11. A. DOVIZIOSO DUCATI TEAM 1’45.029
12. S. REDDING OCTO PRAMAC YAKHNICH 1’45.030
FIFTH ROW
13. B. SMITH MONSTER YAMAHA TECH3 1’45.197
14. P. ESPARGARÒ MONSTER YAMAHA TECH3 1’45.218
15. M. PIRRO AVINTIA RACING 1’45.538
SIXTH ROW
16. Y. HERNANDEZ ASPAR TEAM MOTOGP 1’45.690
17. E. LAVERTY ASPAR TEAM MOTOGP 1’45.885
18. S. BRADL APRILIA RACING TEAM GRESINI 1’45.892
SEVENTH ROW
19. J. MILLER ESTRELLA GALICIA 0,0 MARC VDS 1’45.942
20. T. RABAT ESTRELLA GALICIA 0,0 MARC VDS 1’46.205
21. A. BAUTISTA APRILIA RACING TEAM GRESINI 1’46.463
2016 Catalunya MotoGP Qualifying Results – Photo Gallery
