SPANISH GP – JEREZ DAY TWO NEWS – Dani Pedrosa’s first pole position since Malaysia in 2015 tasted especially sweet. Not only did it underline his strong start to the season, his comfort with the 2017 Repsol Honda, and his return to front-row positions. It came at the expense of his own superfast team-mate, after a direct confrontation.
Marquez had been on top when the pair left the pits together for Pedrosa’s second qualifying run, and Marquez’s third. “My goal was the front row, and I was already second, so it was okay. But I was enjoying it, so when I took the second tyre I decided to try again,” said Pedrosa. The younger rider followed, Dani slowed to let him past, Marc slowed as well.
I looked at him, and thought: ‘Okay, I will take this challenge.”
Having led the first three free practices, Pedrosa went faster again, to seize pole by 0.049 of a second.
He slowed, Marquez kept the throttle on for one more lap … and was going faster still until, and the last very fast right, the rear stepped out at full lean. His charge was over, and he had a lucky escape.
He’d followed Dani to learn how Pedrosa was faster in some sections; and now wanted to prove he’d found out. “Luckily I saved the crash. My elbow was down, my rear end. But it cost me pole.
“But I am happy, because normally Jerez is not a good circuit for me.”
More usually the nowadays iconic 4.423-km Andalucian track favours Yamaha, but this year’s different tyres played it differently.
A third Honda completed a front-row lockout, with Cal Crutchlow putting his independent LCR Honda alongside the factory bikes. A lap later he slowed suddenly, slapping himself vigorously. A wasp had got into his leathers. “It stung me five times on the chest, then it was on my arm,” he explained.
Crutchlow was two tenths down on Pedrosa, and a similar distance clear of Maverick Vinales, on the best of the Yamahas, the double-race winner never looking quite comfortable, but expecting his race pace might work in his favour. “The right side of the tyre is really good, but when I go onto the left I suddenly have a lot of wheelspin. We will have to work a bit more than usual during warm-up.”
The “medium” of three rear Michelins, his preferred tyre, is asymmetric, harder on the right. With today dry after a damp Friday, and Sunday predicted to be even hotter, tyre choice will be crucial for all.
Suzuki’s Andrea Iannone managed to pull out a fast lap when it mattered to qualify fifth; he’d been complaining of electronic problems causing wheelspin and wheelies. Scintillating rookie Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha) completed row two.
Only then came Rossi on the second factory bike, troubled again with front end issues.
Alongside him, an impressive run from Jorge Lorenzo, getting the measure of the Ducati at a track that doesn’t favour the red bike. Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha) completed row three; Jack Miller (VDS Honda) led the fourth, less than a second off pole, with Scott Redding (Pramac Ducati) alongside.
The top dozen in Moto2 were within one second of a new track best lap set by Alex Marquez, in the EG-VDS Kalex rider’s first pole in the class. Team-mate and triple race winner Franco Morbidelli was barely four hundredths slower; while a refreshing mix of machines put four different chassis manufacturers in the top seven.
Dominique Aegerter put his Kiefer Racing Suter on the front row; Miguel Oliveira led the second on the new Red Bull KTM. With the Kalexes of Mattia Pasini and class rookie Pecco Bagnaia alongside; then Xavi Vierge’s Tech 3 led the third row from Taka Nakagami (Kalex) and Marcel Schrotter (Suter).
Australian Remy Gardner, back from injury, placed 28th.
Records tumbled also in Moto3, with another Honda front row, led by Jorge Martin (Gresini Honda). The Spaniard, on the podium at every race so far, had been on pole also in Qatar, but only on a Free Practice time after qualifying was rained off.
Austin’s misfortunate pole-sitter Aron Canet (EG Honda) was alongside – he crashed out of the lead of the restarted American race; while the man to whom he handed victory, Romano Fenati (Rivacold Honda) was third.
Rossi protégé Nicolo Bulega (KTM) led the second row from Ramirez and Antonelli (both KTM).
by Michael Scott
