Lorenzo Scores Front Row in Difficult Assen Qualifying

2012-06-29 18:45
Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo took third today in qualifying for tomorrow’s Assen TT race. The famous Dutch weather proved to be the biggest challenge for all riders with rain intermittently halting the session and frustrating attempts to string together a series of hot laps. The sun came out to provide a final six-minute flurry of activity with Casey Stoner setting the provisional pole time. Lorenzo then responded, taking red through the first three splits but making a small mistake on the final chicane to end up in third on the grid for tomorrow’s race.

Having wrapped up day one as the fastest rider Texan Ben Spies was again ready to deliver in qualifying. Having worked through different set up solutions Spies was on pace for a front row position until running into slower CRT traffic on his hot lap. As a result he starts from the second row of the grid in sixth position.





Jorge Lorenzo
Position : 3rd Time: 1'34.001 Laps: 20



“I tried my best in the last lap of qualifying but I made a little mistake in the last chicane on braking and lost a few tenths. I was surprised at Casey’s last lap; it was fantastic and so fast and Dani was also very close to him. We have a good position for tomorrow on the front row and we have a good race pace and I’m confident with the bike so I’m happy. Qualifying is one thing but the race is another, tyre choice will be important for the race.”




Ben Spies
Position : 6th Time: 1'34.644 Laps: 16



“Qualifying was a frustrating experience. We tried a setting this morning and went backwards so the first bit of qualifying we tried a modified setting from yesterday which again wasn’t working so well. We went back to yesterday’s set up with a minor change but only got one lap in, which turned out to be my fastest lap. Unfortunately one of the CRT bikes got in the way on my qualifying lap. I know they are out there trying to do their thing as well so it’s difficult.”




Wilco Zeelenberg
Team Manager


“A very Dutch qualification I would say, having to stop the practice because of the constant weather changes. Finally the last ten minutes were exciting and Jorge managed two hot laps. I think we are happy to be on the front row, Jorge’s first three splits were very good then he missed the last one otherwise he would have been pole. Race rhythm is very good so we are confident for tomorrow.”




Massimo Meregalli
Team Director


“The rain didn’t help so much today. Ben was on form for a best lap until T9 when he caught a slower CRT rider who closed the door on him and he lost his lap. I think he could have had a better position but in the end second row is not so bad. He’s had good starts in the last races so we expect the same tomorrow. The pace is good, bike set up is good and we don’t have any doubts about the tyres. Jorge showed a good pace with both soft and hard tyres so he will be there in the fight for victory.”





Qualifying Times


FRONT ROW
1. Casey Stoner (AUS) Repsol Honda Team 1'33.713
2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1'33.828
3. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing 1'34.001

SECOND ROW
4. Stefan Bradl (GER) LCR Honda 1'34.035
5. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Yamaha Tech3 1'34.486
6. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing 1'34.644

THIRD ROW
7. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Yamaha Tech3 1'34.698
8. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Honda Gresini 1'34.722
9. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Team 1'34.751

FOURTH ROW
10. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati Team 1'35.057
11. Hector Barbera (SPA) Pramac Racing Team 1'35.289
12. Randy De Puniet (FRA) Power Electronics Aspar 1'35.830

FIFTH ROW
13. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Power Electronics Aspar 1'36.007
14. Michele Pirro (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1'36.647
15. Mattia Pasini (ITA) Speed Master 1'36.943

SIXTH ROW
16. Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Came Iodaracing Project 1'36.967
17. Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing 1'37.110
18. Yonny Hernandez (COL) Avintia Racing 1'37.191

SEVENTH ROW
19. James Ellison (UK) Paul Bird Motorsport 1'37.281
20. Ivan Silva (SPA) Avintia Racing 1'37.554
21. Colin Edwards (USA) NGM Mobile Forward Racing 1'38.305




Assen Record Lap

D.Pedrosa (Honda) 2010, 1'34.525


Assen Best Lap

J.Lorenzo (Yamaha) 2010, 1'34.515

Source: Yamaha MotoGP

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