Photo by Gold & Goose
Anyone expecting a crack under pressure by Jorge Lorenzo did not find it on Saturday. The Spaniard was flawless in MotoGP qualifying at Valencia, pushing his Movistar Yamaha to a new track record and the pole position for Sunday’s season finale. Lorenzo clocked a 1:30.011 to put himself at the head of the grid for one of the most highly-anticipated races in MotoGP history. Meanwhile series leader Valentino Rossi crashed at the end of the session.
Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez came out ultra-aggressive wasting no time setting a jaw-dropping mark at 1:30.499 just a few minutes into the session. Ultimately that would only be good enough for second, because the superlatives weren’t done yet. With just less than five minutes to go eyes went wide when the ever-so-precise Lorenzo set a new track record with a 1:30.011.
Lorenzo, who trails teammate Rossi by seven points going into Sunday’s season finale, said his qualifying lap was the best lap he’d ever turned.
“It was the most important and my best lap in all my life,” said Lorenzo, who scored his fifth pole of the season. “I couldn’t believe when I saw 30.0. The previous lap I pushed at the maximum, but I just made 30.9. Then in the second try out I improve one second, unbelievable. I just made perfect braking, perfect acceleration – I picked up the bike so well, so much traction. I think if I tried to repeat it 50 times or 100 times I couldn’t do this lap time, it was unbelievable. I’m very happy with the pole position. I’m very happy with the grid for tomorrow, because it’s very important to start well and avoid some problems. Let’s see if tomorrow is more or less the same as today.”
At the very end of the session Valentino Rossi, who had no real reason to push in qualifying since he was going to start from the rear of the grid due to his penalty points, crashed in turn eight, having lost the front end and low-sided. It was the last thing Rossi needed going into Sunday’s race, especially with his teammate taking pole. Rossi was up and walking to his bike, looking unhurt in the fall.
Joining Lorenzo and Marquez on the front row Saturday will be Dani Pedrosa, who clocked a 1:30.516 on the second factory Honda.
The factory Suzuki of Aleix Espargaro will head up the second row Sunday. Alongside the Spaniard will be Brits Cal Crutchlow and Bradley Smith.
America Nicky Hayden qualified 17th in his final MotoGP race. Hayden did a masterful job of avoiding a downed Maverick Viñales who went down in front of Hayden.
The race will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 with coverage starting at 7:30am Eastern on Sunday morning.
MotoGP qualifying from Valencia, Spain, Nov. 7, 2015
1 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 320.9 1’30.011
2 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 322.1 1’30.499 0.488 / 0.488
3 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 323.1 1’30.516 0.505 / 0.017
4 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki 312.5 1’30.917 0.906 / 0.401
5 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR LCR Honda Honda 319.4 1’30.948 0.937 / 0.031
6 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 322.0 1’31.012 1.001 / 0.064
7 29 Andrea IANNONE ITA Ducati Team Ducati 329.8 1’31.056 1.045 / 0.044
8 44 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 321.5 1’31.080 1.069 / 0.024
9 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 327.2 1’31.245 1.234 / 0.165
10 9 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Octo Pramac Racing Ducati 323.0 1’31.292 1.281 / 0.047
11 25 Maverick VIÑALES SPA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki 317.4 1’31.340 1.329 / 0.048
12 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 319.1 1’31.471 1.460 / 0.131
13 51 Michele PIRRO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 325.3 1’31.780 0.371 / 0.271
14 6 Stefan BRADL GER Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 318.8 1’31.824 0.415 / 0.044
15 8 Hector BARBERA SPA Avintia Racing Ducati 320.5 1’31.851 0.442 / 0.027
16 76 Loris BAZ FRA Forward Racing Yamaha Forward 312.3 1’31.856 0.447 / 0.005
17 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Aspar MotoGP Team Honda 312.3 1’32.083 0.674 / 0.227
18 68 Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Octo Pramac Racing Ducati 320.8 1’32.142 0.733 / 0.059
19 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 311.0 1’32.282 0.873 / 0.140
20 45 Scott REDDING GBR EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 315.0 1’32.448 1.039 / 0.166
21 43 Jack MILLER AUS LCR Honda Honda 316.4 1’32.564 1.155 / 0.116
22 63 Mike DI MEGLIO FRA Avintia Racing Ducati 316.3 1’32.716 1.307 / 0.152
23 13 Anthony WEST AUS AB Motoracing Honda 311.1 1’33.049 1.640 / 0.333
24 50 Eugene LAVERTY IRL Aspar MotoGP Team Honda 309.9 1’33.066 1.657 / 0.017
25 24 Toni ELIAS SPA Forward Racing Yamaha Forward 322.0 1’33.092 1.683 / 0.026
26 23 Broc PARKES AUS E-Motion IodaRacing Team ART 301.7 1’33.577 2.168 / 0.485
