DOHA: Defending world champion Jorge Lorenzo last night underlined his intentions in 2016 by grabbing the pole position ahead of today’s first Grand Prix of the season. The Movistar Yamaha giant powered his Yamaha bike with purpose with seal the top position on the grid at the Grand Prix of Qatar, the season’s first race. The Peninsula
Clocking a top speed of 333.1km/h, Lorenzo posted a time of 1’54.543 to seal his pole position under lights.
It is Lorenzo’s 36th pole in MotoGP class and 62nd overall.
Arch-rival Marc Marquez, the Repsol Honda Team star, finished 0.091 seconds slower than Lorenzo to take the second spot on the front grid.
Exhibiting good form throughout the week so far, Maverick Vinales completed the Spanish 1-2-3 by grabbing the third spot for Team Suzuki Ecstar. Vinales is just 0.095 seconds slower than Lorenzo.
Italian Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) was fourth fastest on the night, clocking a time of 1’54.693 on his Ducati. Iannone was 0.150 seconds behind Lorenzo.
Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi - who signed a two-year extension with Yamaha earlier yesterday - completed the top-5 with a time of 1’54.815.
Italian Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Spain’s Dani Pedrosa (Respsol Honda Team), compatriot Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing), Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Britain’s Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) completed the top-10 grid positions.
British Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech) and Scott Redding (OCTO Pramac Yakhnich) rounded up the last two positions in the qualifying for top 12 riders who had lined up for action in what was the second qualifying of the night.
“I am happy to start the championship in pole position. I’m glad to be the man with the most pole positions in the history of the championship. The competition has been running for so many years so it’s a great feeling,” Lorenzo after qualifying yesterday.
Second-placed Marquez said: “The funny thing is that I didn’t see the flag in the last lap. I did one more lap at 100 percent and I thought I got the pole position. But that lap wasn’t within the time. I am happy with the result and the bike.”
Vinales, who will also start from the front grid, said: “I am going to try to do well in the race. We know it’s going to be difficult. I am feeling good on the bike and I also believe that I can go down in the lap time. I will try my best to get a good result in the race.”
Earlier in qualifying 1, Crutchlow and Smith topped the charts to book their berths in final qualifying ahead of today’s Grand Prix of Qatar.
Crutchlow clocked a time of 1’55.291 to finish ahead of Smith who was just 0.199 seconds slower.
Earlier in Moto2, Germany’s Jonas Folger grabbed the pole position with a new record time of 1’59.052.
The Dynavolt Intact GP rider was one 12 names to finish below the 2-minute mark in the Moto2 qualifying.
Folger’s previous pole came at the French GP in 2014, starting on the front row a further three times in 2015.
Britain’s Sam Lowes - who rides for Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 - finished 0.072s behind the German on his Kalex bike. Today Lowes will be looking to add to his five previous podium finishes in the intermediate class. Throughout the weekend Lowes has been quick over multiple laps as well as one offs, frequently setting his best times at the end of longer runs. Completing the front row is Alex Rins (Paginas Amarillas HP 40), setting a 1’59.354 on his third lap.
The Spaniard was unable to improve after he suffered a bike crunching crash at Turn 2, his Kalex tumbling through the gravel after losing the front.
His team worked feverishly to repair the bike, sending him back out with just five minutes remaining.
Reigning Moto2 World Champion, Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) wrestled his way up to fourth on his last lap, only 0.065s off a front row start.
No defending Moto2 champion has ever taken victory in the opening race of the year, the Frenchman aims to change that today.
Fifth was Franco Morbidelli (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), the Italian initially struggling during testing and practice with his new team. But when it mattered the Italian was able to produce a 1’59.509 and end 0.457s back on pole.
Earlier in Moto3 class, Italian rider Romano Fennati of Sky Racing Team VR46 powered to the season’s first pole position, finishing ahead of Belgium’s Livio Loi (RW Racing GP BV).
Fennati clocked a time of 2’06.131 in the dying seconds of the 11th and final lap around the 5.38km Losail International Circuit.
It was just the second pole of his long career in the lightweight class. Fennati’s first pole came at the Japanese GP in 2015 where he finished 28th in the race.
Reaching a top speed of 224.1km/h, Fennati clearly looked in command as he completed his 11 laps.
Loi, riding for RW Racing GP BV, produced his best time of 2’06.178 on his 12th lap from a session of 15 laps.
South Africa’s Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) powered his KTM bike to third spot on the grid with a time of 2’06.245 registered on the 12th lap. Binder was just 0.067 seconds slower than Fennati.
