Fabio Quartararo for Andalucian MotoGP race – Photo: LAT
For the second straight week in Jerez Fabio Quartararo has taken pole position and will start the Andalucian MotoGP race from the front of the grid, while reigning champion Marc Marquez will not take part in the race.
By DAN McCARTHY
After taking his maiden MotoGP victory last Sunday Quartararo is looking to repeat that feat tonight, however he will be pushed by his future teammate and title rival Maverick Vinales who was only 0.095s away from taking pole.
Vinales actually set a faster time than Quartararo but exceeded track limits at Turn 7 by running both wheels off the kerb and as a result, had the lap stripped, dropping him to second on the grid.
It was a challenging return to the #93 Repsol Honda bike for Marquez, just 6 days after breaking his right arm when he crashed out of the race last Sunday.
After struggling through two practice sessions the Spaniard went out to qualify, but before completing an out lap he called it a day and withdrew from the remainder of the weekend. HRC Team Manager Alberto Puig said after the session, “we won’t take any more risks, Marc won’t race.”
The Andalucian GP will be the first MotoGP race that the six-time top-tier champion would have missed since making his debut in 2013.
This will leave Alex Marquez as the sole Repsol Honda rider and the reigning Moto2 champion will start from last position after a heavy crash at the end of Q1.
In more positive news Francesco Bagnaia will start from a career best third on the grid on his Pramac Ducati.
His Australian teammate Jack Miller has again shown solid race pace but has lacked the outright one lap speed. The Queenslander could not match the time of his Italian teammate and will start from seventh position.
Valentino Rossi has shown great speed after a tough start to the season, the Italian qualified fourth ahead of Tech 3 KTM rider Miguel Oliveira and Franco Morbidelli.
After topping two practice sessions Japanese rider Takaaki Nakagami could not replicate the speed in qualifying and even had a tour through the gravel late in Q2, he will start eighth. Factory riders Brad Binder, Joan Mir and Danilo Petrucci rounded out the top 11 positions.
Pol Espargaro looked like an outside chance of taking pole position in practice, but when push came to shove he crashed in Q2 and will see him start from 12th on the grid.
Title contender Andrea Dovizioso had a day he would quickly like to forget, the factory Ducati rider could not find any pace in the hot conditions and will start from 14th place.
The two other injured riders aside from Marquez, Englishman Cal Crutchlow and Suzuki rider Alex Rins will start 13th and 20th respectively.
The second race of the MotoGP season starts tomorrow at 10.00pm AEST.
For more of the latest MotoGP news pick up the current issue of Auto Action. Also make sure you follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or our weekly email newsletter for all the latest updates between issues.
Date posted: July 26, 2020
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