Rain Disrupts TT Assen Qualifying For Movistar Yamaha2014-06-27 07:26This afternoon’s qualifying session for tomorrow’s Grand Prix of the Netherlands was anything but smooth with rain falling as the clock began its 15-minute countdown. Movistar Yamaha riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi were quick to leave the pits as the first drops fell but were soon embroiled in a desperate pack of riders attempting to lock down a fast time before the track was too wet. With no clear space for a clean hot lap and grip rapidly disappearing the two returned to the pits with just over five minutes remaining, Lorenzo in ninth with a 1’42.259 and Rossi in 12th with a 1’43.625. Both returned to the track for a last attempt but the track conditions made it impossible for any improvement. As a result Lorenzo will start tomorrow’s race from the third row in ninth position and Rossi will start from the fourth row in 12th. Jorge Lorenzo 99 Jorge Lorenzo 9th / 1'42.259 / 8 laps “It was a pity because I think with dry conditions we could stay in first row, but it was dry but spitting in some places like normal Assen circumstances. Like this it’s very difficult to go with slicks and understand the limit of the track. You can feel good in two or three corners and suddenly arrive on one corner and it’s wet and you crash. I tried to let some riders run in first position but they didn't want to so when we arrived in the last corner I decided to push. Maybe it wasn't the right strategy. It's a lesson to learn for the future. The pace is good but obviously it's not going to be easy to overtake the in theory slower riders tomorrow. I hope to pass some people on the first corners and little by little move up. The race is long and if we have a good pace we can fight for the podium.” Profile Profile 46 Valentino Rossi 12th / 1'43.625 / 8 laps “It’s a shame because I was competitive today and in all the practices so I thought I could fight for a good position for tomorrow. Unfortunately we had rain at just the wrong moment and I have to start from the fourth row. This changes a lot and everything will be harder. Jorge is close to me but our competitors are on the front row so it will be hard. On the dry I know I can be competitive, I have a good pace so we have to try the maximum. We improved a lot the stability of the bike for today, so I can push. Especially this afternoon I was really good so I am happy with the pace. We have to wait for tomorrow to see what the conditions are but I hope for a dry race." Profile Profile Valentino Rossi Massimo Meregalli Massimo Meregalli “Unfortunately this afternoon was a waste. The rain and probably the position of our riders when the rain began to fall compromised the work we’ve done during these two days. The riders are satisfied with the bike setting and the pace is good, so to start from the third and fourth row is not the best place where we would like to be. We have to deal with that and we still believe that we can achieve good results.” NOTES The extended imagery from today's Qualifying session at the Assen TT Circuit (The Netherlands) is available on www.yamahamotogp.com. QUALIFYING RESULTS Results FRONT ROW 1. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) NGM Mobile Forward Racing 1'38.789 2. Marc Marquez (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1'40.194 3. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1'40.732 SECOND ROW 4. Andrea Iannone (ITA) Pramac Racing 1'40.786 5. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Ducati Team 1'40.796 6. Bradley Smith (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech3 1'40.818 THIRD ROW 7. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Ducati Team 1'41.140 8. Stefan Bradl (GER) LCR Honda MotoGP 1'41.982 9. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1'42.259 FOURTH ROW 10. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Go&Fun Honda Gresini 1'42.884 11. Pol Espargarò (SPA) Monster Yamaha Tech3 1'43.085 12. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1'43.625 FIFTH ROW 13. Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing 1'34.907 14. Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) Drive M7 Aspar 1'34.930 15. Yonny Hernandez (COL) Energy T.I. Pramac Racing 1'35.056 SIXTH ROW 16. Scott Redding (GBR) Go&Fun Honda Gresini 1'35.059 17. Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Octo Iodaracing Team 1'35.346 18. Colin Edwards (USA) NGM Mobile Forward Racing 1'35.484 SEVENTH ROW 19. Brok Parkes (AUS) Paul Bird Motorsport 1'35.513 20. Hector Barbera (SPA) Avintia Racing 1'35.631 21. Michael Laverty (GBR) Paul Bird Motorsport 1'35.731 EIGHTH ROW 22. Nicky Hayden (USA) Drive M7 Aspar 1'35.792 23. Mike Di Meglio (FRA) Avintia Racing 1'35.980 CIRCUIT INFORMATION Technical Informations Circuit Assen Location Assen, The Netherlands Length (m) 4542 Width (m) 14 Turns 18 Turns righ 12 Turns left 6 Pole position left Grand Prix of The Netherlands Record Lap Time 1'34.548 Rider D.Pedrosa Bike Honda Year 2012 Best Lap Time 1'33.462 Rider M.Marquez Bike Honda Year 2014 Source: Yamaha MotoGP Click here to visit our forums to discuss this story |
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