The 32-year-old LCR Castrol Honda RC213V pilot then put in three flying laps during the 15-minute qualifying two session, claiming the pole with a new record of 1:37.653. With his time, Crutchlow topped Jorge Lorenzo’s previous record of 1:37.910 (2015, Yamaha YZR-M1).Joining Crutchlow on the front row are Pedrosa, who recently had surgery on the wrist he broke during a crash in Argentina, and Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Johann Zarco, who joins the Red Bull Factory KTM team in 2019.Honda’s Dani PedrosaPedrosa finished 0.259 of a second behind Crutchlow, and Zarco 0.303 behind.“I’ve only been on the front row once since here in Jerez last year, so it’s nice to take a pole position,” Cal Crutchlow says. “We’re here to race of course, and that’s the key point of the weekend, but after bad qualifying in the last two races it’s nice to make up for that and get the pole for my LCR Honda Castrol Team.“I’m not sure these are the best conditions for our bike, honestly speaking. We have to manage the situation with the front tyre very carefully, but I think we did a good job overall today. We made the gamble with three tires, although I might still have taken pole using just two if I’d needed.“I didn’t push enough with the first tire. I just wanted to finish the lap and set a benchmark, so I wish I’d pushed a bit harder. Then with the second I found I had more grip than I thought.“We’ve done the hard work in the winter in the tests and I think it’s all paying off now. I hope for a good race tomorrow and an enjoyable race for myself and all the fans. I’m sure there’s going to be a good battle.”Yamaha’s Johann ZarcoQualifying fourth is Ducati Team’s Jorge Lorenzo, who earned his first podium finish with Ducati last season at Jerez. He is joined on row two by the reigning MotoGP Champion and Circuit of the Americas winner Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins.Yamaha’s Valentino RossiRounding out the top 10 in 2018 Jerez MotoGP qaulifying were Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone, Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, Alma Pramac Racing Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi.The 25-rider grid returns to Jerez Sunday for the 25-lap MotoGP. The race goes green at 8 a.m. ET.Ducati’s Andrea DoviziosoPhotos by Luciano Bianchetto
Hello everyone and welcome once again to Ultimate Motorcycling’s weekly Podcast—Motos and Friends.
My name is Arthur Coldwells.
This week’s Podcast is brought to you by Yamaha motorcycles. Discover how the YZF-R7 provides the perfect balance of rider comfort and true supersport performance by checking it out at YamahaMotorsports.com, or see it for yourself at your local dealer.
This week’s episode features Senior Editor Nic de Sena’s impressions of the beautiful new Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST that is loosely based around the original FXRT Sport Glide from the 1980s. Hailing from The Golden State, these cult-status performance machines became known as West Coast style, with sportier suspension, increased horsepower, and niceties including creature comforts such as a tidy fairing and sporty luggage.
In past episodes you might have heard us mention my best friend, Daniel Schoenewald, and in the second segment I chat with him about some of the really special machines in his 170 or so—and growing—motorcycle collection. He’s always said to me that he doesn’t consider himself the owner, merely the curator of the motorcycles for the next generation.
Yet Daniel is not just a collector, but I can attest a really skilled rider. His bikes are not trailer queens, they’re ridden, and they’re ridden pretty hard. Actually, we have had many, many memorable rides on pretty much all of the machines in the collection at one time or another.
From all of us here at Ultimate Motorcycling, we hope you enjoy this episode!