'DesmoDovi' reigns wet Sepang for pole number 2 of 2016

2016-10-29 09:54
Rossi and Lorenzo complete the front row as Crutchlow salvages impressive P5 in a washed out Q2

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) took a stunning pole position at Sepang International Circuit, as the Italian veteran sliced half a second off the time at the top and remained unthreatened. Compatriot Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) took P2 on his final lap, just edging out teammate Jorge Lorenzo.

In Q1, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) took control of the wet session to secure graduation early on, then lowering his time further to top the table by a good margin over Frenchman Loris Baz (Avintia Racing). Baz, despite a Turn 2 crash, had done enough before the incident to secure his place in the second session and the two moved through.

Conditions for Q2 remained wet, but Dovizioso came out fighting near the start of the session and set what was an unthreatened provisional pole position laptime on only his second attempt – before being the only man able to beat that as he later took another few hundredths off. Rossi suffered a small moment around Turn 1 in Q2, before gathering it back up to go for another attack and just take second on his final run.

Lorenzo, who has struggled in 2016 getting the Michelin wet front tyre to work for him, put in a stunning show in the difficult conditions to not only duel with teammate Rossi, but qualify on the front row in conditions that have proved more difficult for the Mallorcan this season. With higher ambient temperatures and growing confidence, Lorenzo was a wet weather pacesetter in Sepang once again.

Reigning World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) heads the second row as he struggles with illness and isn’t quite 100%, hoping to be back to his best for race day, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) crashing out as he pushed to move forward – and then picking the bike up to go for one more lap, taking an impressive P5.

Recovering and returning Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) put in a solid run in difficult conditions to qualify in sixth, ahead of the Team Suzuki Ecstar duo of Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales – who both struggled slightly more in the washout of the Q2 session.

Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) will line up ninth after not only graduating to Q2 but also qualifying within the top ten for the Noale factory, with Loris Baz (Avintia Racing) impressing to complete the top ten after graduating from Q1.

Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was P11 after a tyre decision switch, ahead of twelfth-placed Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing), with race day however sure to see track conditions change once again – and Sepang International Circuit ready for another spectacular Sunday clash. Lights go out at 15:00 local time (GMT +8) on Sunday for MotoGP™’s ultimate challenge of man and machine.
MotoGP™ Qualifying Results
1 - Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) DUCATI 2'11.485
2 - Valentino Rossi (ITA) YAMAHA +0.246
3 - Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) YAMAHA +0.302

1st Independent Team Rider
Pos 5 - Cal Crutchlow (GBR) HONDA + 1.073
Zarco’s coup de foudre: Frenchman two seconds clear on pole


Johann Zarco (FRA)
Moto2 Front Row
French demolition with key title challenger Lüthi in P5 and Rins 23rd

Reigning Champion Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) destroyed the field in Moto2™ qualifying, as the Championship leader got in the groove and took an almost unbelievable pole position that saw his final attempt push him more than two seconds clear of the field. Franco Morbidelli (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) equaled his best career qualifying result in second, with Axel Pons (AGR Team) putting in an impressive late dash to complete the front row.

With Morbidelli on provisional pole for much of the session, the track was slowly drying as Zarco started to make his move. First knocking a second off the EG0,0 Marc VDS rider’s laptime, the Frenchman then went for another flier – and ended the session an incredible 2 seconds clear.

Axel Pons made the right tyre decision at the right time to put in a rear slick and got himself onto the front row, just pushing wet weather specialist Jonas Folger (Dynavolt Intact GP) back onto Row 2 as conditions began to improve.

Championship challenger Tom Lüthi (Garage Plus Interwetten) struggled earlier in the session before moving up the timesheets towards the conclusion, losing a provisional front row to then line up in P5 for the race. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Forward Racing Team) had good pace early on and closed out QP in sixth to complete the second row.

Xavier Simeon (QMMF Racing Team) had a solid session to make a good impression into the top ten in P7, just ahead of Phillip Island podium challenger Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team). Remy Gardner (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) had a career best session to line up in ninth as he impressed in the tough conditions, with Simone Corsi (Speed Up Racing) completing the top ten in Malaysia.

It was a difficult session for some of the usual suspects at the front, with Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) in P20, Alex Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) just behind in P21 – and title contender Alex Rins (Paginas Amarillas HP40) facing down an almost must-win race from 23rd on the grid.

Moto2™ will see what conditions await them for Sunday’s race at 13:20 local time (GMT +8), as the lights go out for the penultimate round of the year - and Zarco faces his first chance of defending his Moto2™ crown.

Moto2™ Qualifying Results
1 - Johann Zarco (FRA) KALEX 2'18.621
2 - Franco Morbidelli (ITA) KALEX +2.134
3 - Axel Pons (SPA) KALEX + 0.628

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