Movistar Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo smashed the Valencia MotoGP outright lap record on his way to pole position for tomorrow’s race as rival Valentino Rossi crashed out of the session in the final minute, losing the front into turn eight and sliding into the gravel trap as a result of slowing earlier in lap and allowing the soft Bridgestone to cool.
Lorenzo, who described the lap as 'the best of his life', put in the 1’30.011 to go underneath Marc Marquez’ previous best by 0.226s and the outgoing champion had no answer, taking second place with a 1’30.499 set on his second lap but trailing the Mallorcan by almost half a second. Team-mate Dani Pedrosa completed the front row with a 1’30.516 while Aleix Espargaro used his soft-tyred Suzuki to good effect, bagging fourth place.
Britain’s Cal Crutchlow grabbed a tow from Marquez on his second run and sits in the middle of row two with a 1’30.948 - the LCR Honda’s man first lap under 1’31 - and it was enough to push Bradley Smith’s Monster Yamaha into sixth place. Andrea Iannone was uncharacteristically slow with his soft tyre and could only manage seventh place, just ahead of Pol Espargaro.
Andrea Dovizioso recovered from a free-practice four crash to take ninth with Danilo Petrucci tenth. Maverick Vinales, who suffered whopping highside in qualifying one, took 11th with Rossi last in the session but it matters not as he will start from the back of the grid tomorrow afternoon.
Rossi penalty means Ducati test rider Michele Pirro is promoted to 12th, Stefan Bradl 13th and Hector Barbera is the fastest Open class man in 14th. Loris Baz completes the top 15 with Scott Redding, who also crashed in Q1, sitting in 19th. Eugene Laverty, another faller in Q1, is in 23rd.
