Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez has smashed his own Austin MotoGP lap record on the way to pole position today and did it on the 2013-spec medium tyre he had studiously stayed away from this weekend so far which tucked and chattered its way around the whole lap.
The reigning world champion had spent most of free practice using the 2014-spec hard tyre and set an initial pace of 2’02.886, which was already faster than his 2’03.052 of last year, before slotting in the medium for his last run and dropping it first to a 2’02.815 and then a 2’02.774.
Team-mate Dani Pedrosa was also close to the old lap record, putting in a 2’03.062 with his last lap to secure second place while Stefan Bradl made it an all-HRC front row with third on a 2’03.196.
Aleix Espargaro, who has been off the pace all weekend, found a lap from nowhere to take fourth after being shuffled down by Bradl’s lap Jorge Lorenzo also found some pace in free practice four which was enough to secure a second-row start and one place in front of Valentino Rossi but only by 0.001s.
Ducati’s Cal Crutchlow suffered a breakdown at the end of the session but his work early on was enough to put him at the head of row three and one place ahead of his 2013 team-mate Bradley Smith. Smith used the medium tyre for the whole session and finished on a 2’03.800. Andreas Iannone and Dovizioso rounded out the top ten.
Scott Redding only missed out on a place in qualifying two by 0.074s and was again quicker than Nicky Hayden in the first session while Michael Laverty dipped under the 2’07 barrier with a 2’06.939 for 20th place.
