Reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez has continued his unbeaten run of pole positions at Jerez this afternoon, taking his fourth out of four races and beating Jorge Lorenzo’s outright lap record to boot.
The Repsol Honda man, who changed bikes twice in the 15 minute session instead of waiting for his technicians to swap tyres, went out on his final run and posted a 1’30.120 compared to Lorenzo’s 1'38.189 from 2014.
The Movistar Yamaha man was some four-tenths slower than his compatriot and had to make do with his time set on his second flying lap as he said he couldn’t get his second soft tyre to work in the slightly higher temperatures.
Dani Pedrosa rounded out the front row with his 1’38.630 while Valentino Rossi assumed his customary fourth place with a lap nearly three-quarters of a second off the pace of Marquez. Rossi followed Lorenzo out of pitlane on the first run but set his quickest lap on his own during his second run.
Aleix Espargaro crashed at turn one when he lost the front but had already taken advantage of his ultra-soft rear to set the fifth-fastest time and lead the Open class just ahead of Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso.
LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl ended in seventh place with the Monster Yamahas of Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith line-astern while Alvaro Bautista, who came through qualifying one, rounded out the top ten.
Colin Edwards didn’t replicate his free practice three pace and finished in 11th, one place ahead of Nicky Hayden, who was top Production Honda ahead of Hiro Aoyama.
A crash for Scott Redding in qualifying one put paid to his session and he ended in 18th with Michael Laverty in 21st.
