Del Conca Gresini’s Jorge Martin snatched pole position away from new Moto3 world champion Joan Mir by half a second at the Valencia MotoGP round this lunchtime, setting a new outright lap record in the process.
Martin had set a new benchmark in free practice three this morning with a 1’38.989 but marmalised that in qualifying with a 1’38.428 to go 0.445s faster than Leopard Honda’s Mir with youngster Gabriel Rodrigo completing the front row.
Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) heads up row two after an impression session, ahead of the Estrella Galicia 0,0 pairing of Enea Bastianini and Aron Canet. Canet suffered a big highside in FP3, but is fit to continue on home turf.
Ayumu Sasaki’s (SIC Racing Team) superstar weekend continued as the Asia Talent Cup graduate took seventh following impressive pace throughout practice, and the fastest rookie set exactly the same laptime as the man in eighth, Marcos Ramirez (Platinum Bay Real Estate) – with the second fastest lap for each then the deciding factor for the grid. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) was ninth fastest, with Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the top ten.
Juanfran Guevara (RBA BOE Racing Team) is P11, with Adam Norrodin (SIC Racing Team), Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers), Niccolo Antonelli (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and wildcard Dennis Foggia (Sky Junior Team VR46 Academy) locking out the fastest fifteen. Foggia is a double winner at the track in the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3™ Junior World Championship, and was the quickest wildcard in qualifying.
Britain’s John McPhee finished in 22nd.
