Posted on 27th August 2017
Marc Márquez – the first man ever under two minutes at Silverstone
Valentino Rossi – less than a tenth off and starting from the front
Silverstone shootout sees the classic rivalry split by less than a tenth after some record-breaking exploits – with Crutchlow close in third
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) took a record-breaking pole and got down into the 1:59s for the first ever lap of SIlverstone under the two minute marker in qualifying for the British GP, but it was far from easy as the reigning Champion just beat Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) to the top by less than a tenth. For incredibly close company in third there's home hero Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) – fastest on Friday and on pole last year – with the whole front row covered by a tenth and a half.
Maverick Vi̱ales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) heads up the second row a further two tenths back on Crutchlow, just ahead of the fastest man in FP4, Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team). As on Friday, the number 99 was top Ducati at Silverstone in qualifying Рjust ahead of teammate Andrea Dovizioso in P6; the Italian 0.173 back.
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) made the biggest leap forward on Saturday afternoon after a tough Friday and FP3, coming through Q1 to move up into seventh – and by only 0.006. Just behind Pedrosa in the middle of the third row is Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completing Row 3 as he rides through the pain barrier.
Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), the second graduate from Q1, also managed to make some progress on Saturday afternoon and will start from tenth – just ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pol Espargaro. Through directly to Q2 after a stunning Friday, Espargaro suffered a crash in qualifying but nevertheless took eleventh for the British GP as KTM continue to impress. Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) took P12 at a venue that has been a happy hunting ground for the Brit in the past.
Thirteenth on the grid belongs to Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) as the rookie shows some good pace at Silverstone, just ahead of Pull&Bear Aspar Team's Alvaro Bautista, who begins his 250th race from P14. Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) locked out the fastest fifteen.
On race day, the schedule gets switched up – with lights out for the race at 15:30 (GMT +1).
MotoGP Qualifying Results
1 – Marc Márquez (SPA – Honda) 1’59.941
2 – Valentino Rossi (ITA – Yamaha) +0.084
1st Independent Team Rider:
P3 – Cal Crutchlow (GBR – Honda) +0.165
Pasini makes it a hat-trick for pole at Silverstone
Mattia Pasini – three in a row sees a veteran learn a new trick
Three in a row for the veteran Italian as he tops the timesheets at Silverstone
Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) made it an impressive three pole positions in a row in qualifying for the British GP, heading the grid and with EG 0,0 Marc VDS for company once again: a close-fought fight that saw Alex Marquez emerge on top in second and Franco Morbidelli in third.
Takaaki Nakagami’s (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) good weekend continued in fourth, heading the second row for a solid springboard on race day. Just behind him was a late-charging Luca Marini (Forward Racing Team) in fifth, with FP1’s fastest Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer Racing) completing the second row on the Suter.
Lorenzo Baldassari (Forward Racing) sported a new front fairing as he took seventh, with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in P8 and wanting to move forward in the race – but that’s something the Portuguese rider has made an impressive habit of.
Title challenger Tom Lüthi (CarXpert Interwetten) had a more difficult session in P9, but did take victory last season and has recently announced his move to the premier class. Veteran Italian Simone Corsi (Speed Up Racing) completes the top ten.
Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) was top rookie once again in P11 but will be looking for more after a podium finish in the lightweight class last year, with fellow rookie Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto3) in twelfth despite a crash earlier in the day. Xavi Vierge (Tech 3 Racing), Stefano Manzi (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Isaac Viñales (BE-A-VIP SAG Team) round out the fastest fifteen.
Lights out for Moto2™ is ‪on Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +1)‬.
Moto2 Qualifying Results
1 – Mattia Pasini (ITA – Kalex) 2’06.572
2 – Alex Márquez (SPA – Kalex) +0.222
3 – Franco Morbidelli (ITA – Kalex) +0.245
Fenati headed title rival Mir after a flurry of fast laps at the end
Italian a tenth clear of title rival Mir as Silverstone prepares for a serious Moto3â„¢ spectacle on Sunday
Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers) left it late to take pole position for the Octo British Grand Prix, as a last lap dash for many of the lightweight class frontrunners hit boiling point in the final few seconds – and the Italian came out on top. The man he beat to the top spot, Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) was only a tenth off – making for an exciting prospect on race day as the two key title rivals head the front row. Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Racing Team) completes that front row, continuing his run of form after taking pole in the last two races.
John McPhee (British Talent Team) heads the second row after a stunning qualifying session at home – with pole looking like a possibility until the final few seconds saw him just bumped off the first row. Niccolo Antonelli (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took fifth in a promising qualifying for the Italian, with the second row completed by compatriot Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46). Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who took his first podium as a rookie at the track in 2016, was seventh fastest.
Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) were two to lose out in the mad rush at the end of the session, having sat first and second for some time. Bulega finished the session in eighth, with Martin taking ninth and completing the third row. Juanfran Guevara (RBA BOE Racing) was P10.
Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia) put in a stunner in eleventh, ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3), Livio Loi (Leopard Racing), Philipp Oettl (Südmetall Schedl GP Racing). Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) rounded out the fastest fifteen on the grid.
Next it's race time, with lights out at 12:40 (GMT +1) on Sunday!
Moto3 Qualifying Results
1 – Romano Fenati (ITA – Honda) 2’12.846
2 – Joan Mir (SPA – Honda) +0.116
3 – Gabriel Rodrigo (ARG – KTM) +0.203
Photos courtesy of motogp.com
