Michael Scott | April 21, 2018
2018 COTA MotoGP Saturday Results—Marc Marquez cemented his reputation for both controversies and for COTA impregnability with his sixth pole in a row at the Texas track. The controversy came after an ill-timed moment meant he held up Movistar Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales on a fast lap, an incident that was investigated but ruled inadvertent; the impregnability after he crashed mid-qualifying session, but then came back to secure his place at the top of the timesheets. Only to then for Race Direction to impose a three-place grid penalty for blocking Vinales, dropping him to fourth.
2018 COTA MotoGP Saturday Results
Marquez’s reign as COTA pole man came to an end, but not through anyone going quicker than him.
“I think the fans enjoyed it,” the Repsol Honda rider smiled in parc ferme before his penalty was handed down. The result of which means he’ll start fourth, with Vinales moving into pole.
Vinales had gestured angrily after the two almost came together and he was forced wide after almost completing a lap challenging for pole; but his anger was forgotten when his next lap secured what was initially second place, his first front row start in seven races.
The change in fortune came after he’d persuaded his team to cut back on the electronic interference and give him more direct throttle control. “I am so happy to recover again my feeling with the bike,” he said.
It was a first front row of the year for Andrea Iannone, who qualified third but was promoted to second after Marquez’s penalty. The Ecstar Suzuki rider had been able to shadow Marquez for the time, but it was no fluke, for he had led the combined free practice times on a lap set yesterday afternoon.
Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha) was a mere thousandth of a second slower to head row two from Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha). In the closing minutes Rossi had been second fastest, displacing Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo: but by the end they’d been knocked down to fifth and sixth in an all-action finish.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) heads row three from Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) and the heroic Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda), riding with a special right glove to cope with inflammation to his right wrist, which he broke less than two weeks ago in Argentina.
Behind them, Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Ducati) and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM), both through from Q1, will start either side of Argentine rostrum first-timer Alex Rins (Ecstar Suzuki).
Rookie Taka Nakagami (LCR Honda) was best of the rest.
Moto2
Alex Marquez bested Sam Lowes to take another Moto2 pole position.
Moto2 managed to get qualifying done before rain returned after the last session of the day, with younger brother Alex Marquez (VDS Kalex) fighting back in the closing stages to reclaim pole from returned former Austin winner Sam Lowes (SII KTM) by less than two tenths.
Times were close, with 18 riders in the first second; and the free practice leader Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) barely eight tenths slower, but down in 12th, on the fourth row of the grid.
Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Kalex), points leader after his Argentine win, was a close third to complete the front row.
Qatar winner Pecco Bagnaia (SKY VR46 Kalex) was thwarted when a run-off at the end of the session denied his bid for pole, and he stayed fourth; with fast rookie Joan Mir (VDS Kalex) alongside, and Luca Marini (SKY VR46 Kalex) next.
Moto3
Jorge Martin pulled another pole out of the bag, his 10th in Moto3.
Earlier, changing conditions yielded an explosive finish to Moto3 qualifying, with Jorge Martin taking pole for the tenth time in his career, with a flying lap that started just before the chequered flag came out.
He deposed fellow Honda rider Aron Canet from the top by almost half a second; while John McPhee sneaked into third, top KTM; with Honda riders Suzuki, Di Giannantonio and Bastianini on row three.
Philipp Oettl (KTM) had led the switch to slick tyres midway through the session and was fastest for a stretch, but ended up 11, behind KTM riders Foggia and Argentine winner Bezzecchi, sandwiching Sasaki’s Honda.
