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Morbidelli fights off Miller for pole, Mir faces first match point from 12th

Morbidelli fights off Miller for pole, Mir faces first match point from 12th

The Italian balances risk vs reward for a second MotoGP™ pole, with Quartararo 11th, Mir 12th and Rins 14th after a Saturday shake-up

 

Franco Morbidelli left it late, but the Italian pitched it to perfection to take his second MotoGP™ pole position at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana. Friday's fastest Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was pipped to the post by less than a tenth, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) completing the front row once again - both men candidates to become that record-breaking tenth winner of the year and starting from the front. There were some big headlines slightly down the order too as Championship leader Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) took 12th, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) 11th and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) only 14th as none the top three in the standings managed to make it onto the first three rows... setting up another rollercoaster Sunday.

It began in a tense Q1 packed full of key players, including the men second and third in the Championship - Quartararo and Rins - as well as Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Big drama hit on the timesheets for Rins as he ended the session fourth and therefore 14th on the grid, and big drama hit on track for Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as the Spaniard had a huge highside right in front of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Thankfully the South African took quick evasive action and the number 73 got to his feet, even able to head back out on his second bike. 

Binder, at the time, was top of the pile too and no one could overhaul his lap. He moved through along with Quartararo, with Rins left in 14th, Rossi 16th and Dovizioso 17th after a difficult session at the office for a good few famous faces.

After the first runs in Q2, it remained advantage KTM. Binder was on provisional pole and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) in second as Mir languished down in tenth, but there was more to come. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) added to the KTM party next as he slotted into second once the final shootout was on, before Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) then suddenly shot straight to the top.

Still, it wasn't done. Mir had got himself up to seventh but the man on the move was Miller as the Australian slammed in a lap that saw him take over on provisional pole, backing up his Friday speed with another impressive Q2. That was with two minutes to go and it seemed it could be his - but one man wasn't quite done, and that man was Morbidelli.

The number 21 said Saturday, on an overcast day after some minor rain earlier on, was a balance between risk and reward and the Italian walked the tightrope to perfection. Right at the end of the session, his red sectors kept rolling and he eventually crossed the line to deny Miller by less than a tenth, taking his second MotoGP™ pole position ever and of the year. Nakagami then took his second front row in a week, slotting into third, making a front row with three different manufacturers, and not one of the top three in the title fight in sight...

Fourth went to an impressive Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) as he moved up to take over as the second Ducati in the session, with Pol Espargaro - last week's polesitter - forced to settle for fifth. Sixth is where Viñales was eventually shuffled down to, but it's a lot further forward than the Yamaha rider's pitlane start for exceeding his engine allocation last weekend. What can he do?

Seventh saw Aleix Espargaro put his Aprilia Racing Team Gresini machine in the mix to head up the third row, ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) as the Italian continues to show solid speed at Valencia. Binder completes Row 3, the South African getting shuffled down late on, as did Miguel Oliveira as the Portuguese rider completes the top ten.

So where are the key players in the title fight? Rins' work was over early as he didn't make it out of Q1, but it couldn't have been much better news for the number 42 as the flag flew for Qualifying 2. Mir is only two places ahead of him, in 12th and last in Q2, with Quartararo only managing one better. But then we've seen many a Suzuki comeback on Sunday as the Hamamatsu factory slice through the field...

A podium would be enough for Mir to lift the crown. Past that it's a maths game - and everything will be on the line as the top three blast away from 11th, 12th and 14th.  Miller and Nakagami, meanwhile, have the chance to become that tenth winner from the front row - as do Zarco and Pol Espargaro right behind them. What will Sunday bring? Tune in to find out as MotoGP™ chase more history at 14:00 (GMT +1).

MotoGP™ front row 

Franco Morbidelli* Petronas Yamaha SRT - Yamaha - 1:30.191
Jack Miller* Pramac Racing - Ducati - +0.096
Takaaki Nakagami* LCR Honda Idemitsu - Honda - +0.222
*Independent Team rider

Morbidelli fights off Miller for pole, Mir faces first match point from 12th

 

Manzi masters Valencia to make MV Agusta history, Bastianini and Lowes outside the top ten

The Italian takes a stunning first pole position as he pips home hero Garzo, with Marini 10th, Bastianini 12th and Lowes 18th - the Brit after a big crash on Saturday

Not since 1976 in the 350cc class has an MV Agusta started a Grand Prix race from pole, but Stefano Manzi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) changed that on Saturday at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana. He took his first pole position with a new lap record to head a front row split by just 0.076, with home hero Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) forced to settle for second and Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) completing the top three. Of the top three in the title fight it's Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) who starts furthest up the grid in 10th, with Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) 12th and Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) in P18 after a big crash in FP3.

In Q1 it was Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP 40) who led the way, but the gap was infinitesimal for the Italian as Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) slotted into second just 0.004 back. Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) was closer still in third, 0.002 in further arrears, with Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP) the fourth man through and still within less than half a tenth. That left Europe GP podium finisher Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) just missing out, and the Australian will be looking to move forward quick-sharp on Sunday.

As Q2 began, a lot of eyes were on Lowes. After a huge FP3 crash, the Brit was back on track sporting a bandaged right wrist after being declared fit. His opening lap time was nearly four seconds down on Bo Bendsneyder’s (NTS RW Racing GP) 1:35.131 lap time, but that wasn’t the case for long. Garzo then took turn to lead the session before Fabio Di Giannantonio (MB Conveyors Speed Up) shot to the summit; Q1 graduate Simone Corsi then moving into third with eight minutes to go.

Manzi was on a march though. The Italian was top of the tree by 0.004 over Di Giannantonio as Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) climbed to P3 soon after, puting three manufacturers sat on the front row in Moto2™ as the clock ticked down and down...

The times were again incredibly close. Less than a tenth covered the top five before Marini slotted into fifth, just 0.095 off the top. Red sectors were everywhere though and soon there was another man on a mission: Garzo. A 1:34.431 came in from the Spaniard as Bezzecchi clawed his way up to P2, with Championship leader Bastianini still down in tenth with two minutes to go.

Manzi then grabbed the spotlight for the second time. On his final lap, the Italian sliced round to claim provisional pole and break Garzo's heart, making MV Agusta history with their first pole position since MotoGP™ Legend Giacomo Agostini in 1976 at Le Mans. Rookie Garzo's second place is nevertheless his best yet in Moto2™, with Bezzecchi striking late to give both a scare as last week's winner slotted into third.

Di Giannantonio spearheads Row 2 in P4, and he’s joined by Jorge Martin and rookie Marcos Ramirez (Tennor American Racing). Schrötter eventually slipped to P7, just ahead of Q1 graduate Baldassarri as he returns to form to start from P8. Bendsneyder took ninth as the Dutchman got his third top 10 qualifying result of the campaign.

Marini was under four tenths away from pole but ends up down in P10. However, importantly for the Italian, he’s ahead of the two riders ahead of him in the Championship: Bastianini will start P12 behind Corsi, three places better than last weekend but still far from ideal after another tougher session. Lowes, although cutting his gap to the top down and down, struggled in Q2 and immediately had ice on his right wrist when he was back in the box. The Brit has a salvage job on his hands from P18.

Bastianini has the chance to win the title in Valencia. The easiest way is if he wins, Lowes doesn't finish better than 11th and Marini no better than third. But can he do it? Watch how the Moto2™ title race unfolds at 12:20 local time (GMT+1) on Sunday afternoon as the penultimate race of 2020 gets underway!

Moto2™ front row

Stefano Manzi MV Agusta Forward Racing - MV Agusta 1:34.418
Hector Garzo Flexbox HP 40 - Kalex +0.013
Marco Bezzecchi Sky Racing Team VR46 - Kalex +0.076

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