Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) stormed to a phenomenal first pole position of the season under the glorious lights of Losail International Circuit, beating 2021 Rookie of the Year rival Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) to the top by 0.147s at the Grand Prix of Qatar. Report: MotoGP

It’s Martin’s fifth pole and second in Doha, and the best MotoGP qualifying for Bastianini. It also continues a seven-strong qualifying sequence for Ducati, with Borgo Panigale machinery having taken pole every race since Aragon last season. Eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) lines up in P3, with the top three in the 2021 Championship – Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – all off the front two rows.

MotoGP Q1
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) pinched top spot ahead of Quartararo after the Frenchman just got shuffled out at the out of FP3. The South African had already sat inside the Q2 places, but his seventh and final lap saw him move ahead of the reigning World Champion with a 1:53.512 and increase the tension.

Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) had been in the red as he posted a time attack, but unfortunately for the Frenchman, he passed through the yellow flags after Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team) crashed at Turn 2 and his lap was cancelled. Quartararo also lost a lap, but his to a moment that saw his foot off the peg, although he improved next time round.

There were also late attempts from Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and rookie Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), but neither could quite find those few extra tenths to get themselves into the top two on the timesheets.

MotoGP Q2
Shadowing 2020 World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Marc Marquez set the first benchmark time – a 1:53.566 – but he wouldn’t stay top for long. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) emerged as the pacesetter after the first runs were completed, and the Australian was less than a tenth clear of a different Repsol Honda: Pol Espargaro. Martin was third, Marc Marquez fourth and Bastianini P5 ahead of the final push.

Tensions were high under the lights heading into the final six minutes, all set for the first pole position battle of the season. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Marc Marquez were first to emerge back out of pitlane, the latter getting his RC213V hooked onto the back of Pecco’s GP22. Halfway around the lap, Pecco was 0.018s under teammate Miller’s time, and Marc Marquez just 0.015s off. The tables turned through the third split as Marquez was a tenth quicker than provisional pole, and Pecco half a tenth. At the line, it remained so and it was Marquez who went pole by 0.128s, with the number 63 forced to settled for second.

It wasn’t over though, with red sectors galore on the timing screens – Miller, Pol Espargaro and Martin were all on fire, as well as Bastianini and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). Tucked up behind the Repsol Honda of Espargaro, Martin leapt to P1, with Miller going third and Brad Binder slotting into P4.

Attention then turned to Mir and Pol Espargaro, with neither able to challenge the front row, but Bastianini was on course to. Keeping it together, the ‘Beast’ just missed out on pole but takes second his first front row. That means it’s a sophomore 1-2 with Martin leading Bastianini, and Marquez in third. Martin also makes it three poles in a row for Ducati at Losail – the last two of which are his – and seven poles in a row for Ducati overall.

Miller was shuffled off the front row after Bastianini’s late time but the Aussie makes it three Ducatis in the top four, with Aleix Espargaro bagging a top five for Aprilia. Younger brother Pol Espargaro lines up alongside in P6, with Brad Binder coming through Q1 to bag P7.

Mir is the leading Suzuki in P8. The Hamamatsu factory have looked like the team to beat but Mir and Free Practice 2 pacesetter Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) had a quieter Saturday in P8 and P10 respectively, with Bagnaia sandwiched between the two and also looking for more on Sunday.

So where are Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP? Quartararo starts his title defence in 11th, and that’s one place ahead of teammate Franco Morbidelli as Lusail’s most successful manufacturer looks to turn things around on race day.

The Martinator takes the first MotoGP pole position of the season, as we now get set for race day under the lights. Tune into the premier class race at 18:00 local time (GMT+3) to see who rises highest in the desert, with the stage set for another stunning showdown.

Jorge Martin: “Yeah it feels good to be on pole position but I’m still not 100% happy because we are missing a bit on race pace still. We have a lot of work to do this evening to find these one to two tenths to fight for the victory. Happy with my performance, we did an amazing lap and happy with the team. Tomorrow starting from pole, try to manage the tyre and understand the race because it will be a tough one with a lot of fast riders, but yeah, we will try our best and fight for the victory.”

MotoGP: FRONT ROW (FULL RESULTS)
1 Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 1’53.011
2 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Team MotoGP) – Ducati – +0.147
3 Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – Honda – +0.272

Moto2 Saturday
Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) has taken his first ever pole in Moto2, with the Italian setting a late 1:59.082 to lead Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) by just over a tenth. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) had taken provisional pole, but had the laptime cancelled after exceeding track limits. The Brit lines up third.

Moto2 Q1
Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team), Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up), Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) and Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP) moved through, the latter for the first time in his career.

Moto2 Q2
The early session table topper in the pole position battle was rookie Filip Salač (Gresini Racing Moto2) from Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) and Arbolino, as Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) suffered an early crash at Turn 5 – the Thai rider went to the medical centre for a check-up, and was declared unfit for a broken finger.

Double 2021 Lusail winner Lowes then leapt to P1 as the yellow flags were shown for a Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) crash at the final corner. The reigning Moto3 World Champion was all ok but his maiden Moto2 qualifying session was over, and he’ll have a mission on Sunday to move through.

Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) then set a time good enough for the front row but it was later chalked off for a yellow flag infringement, as compatriot Lowes increased his advantage at the summit. No one was able to beat Lowes’ time, but Vietti went closest on his final flying lap before the late drama hit and Lowes’ lap was cancelled for exceeding track limits at Turn 15, which handed Vietti pole position.

Rookie Salač put in a mightily impressive performance to front the second row of the grid in P4, and the Czech rider has Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) for company on the second row. Dixon will launch from P7 alongside Q1 graduate Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) and Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40), with Acosta starting P10 for his first Moto2 race after that final corner crash…

Celestino Vietti: “I feel good, I didn’t expect this qualifying. I knew we could fight for the first six or seven positions but I didn’t expect this result. We worked well this weekend and the test, we tried many things. For qualifying, we caught some things which helped me make a faster lap time. We have to work tonight to try to make a consistent race, it’s important. I think tomorrow will be a very big group race. A lot of riders are going fast so we have to see what we can do in the race.”

Moto2 FRONT ROW (FULL RESULTS)
1 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – 1’59.082
2 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – +0.112
3 Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – +0.144

Moto3 Saturday
Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) has taken his maiden Grand Prix pole position in style with a late lunge to the top in the Grand Prix of Qatar, putting in a 2:04.811 to deny Q1 graduate  Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team). 2021 Qatar GP winner Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) starts from the outside of the front row in P3.

Moto3 Q1
Sasaki topped the session, the Japanese rider in Q1 after his final flying lap in FP3 got cancelled. Moving through with him were three rookies: Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team), Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Matteo Bertelle (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team).

Moto3 Q2
Fresh from finishing fastest in Q1, Sasaki was the early pacesetter in Q2 and his initial advantage stood at 0.5s – the fastest lap of the weekend at that stage. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) closed the gap to 0.2s on his second flying lap as a lot of the riders piled into pitlane, but there were only four riders within a second of the top heading into the final five minutes.

Sasaki was towing teammate John McPhee and the British rider climbed to P5, with Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) then going P4. A freight train of frantic Moto3 riders formed behind Foggia, a typical lightweight qualifying session.

A gaggle of riders crossed the finish line within tenths of each other, and Guevara was just able to grab P1 from Sasaki. Masia claimed P3 with Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) slotting in ahead of Foggia, who slipped to P5. Yamanaka and McPhee’s strategy to go out ahead of the big group worked well as they line-up P6 and P7 for the opening race of the season.

Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) set his best time on the final lap but only managed P8. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) and Ortola, impressing after moving through Q1, complete the top ten.

Izan Guevara: “Yeah I’m really happy for my first pole position in the World Championship and I’m really happy for my last lap in qualifying. Thank you to my team for the work in these two days and tomorrow more!”

Moto3 FRONT ROW (FULL RESULTS)
1 Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 2’04.811
2 Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) – Husqvarna – +0.085
3 Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – KTM – +0.212

The post MotoGP Qualifying; Jorge Martin takes pole at Qatar appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) has taken his maiden MotoGP pole position in serious style at the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar, the Italian slamming in a 1:52.772 – the fastest-ever two-wheel lap of Losail International Circuit – to take the honour.

Bagnaia beats second place Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) by 0.266s, with Quartararo’s fellow Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider Maverick Viñales. Fourth? Top Independent Team rider Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as the Doctor made it a Yamaha armada just behind Bagnaia… in more ways than one.

Before the final battle though, there was Q1 to contend with. Reigning World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) found himself having to fight for his place in the pole position shootout at the season opener and it wasn’t a walk in the park as the number 36 faced some stiff competition from two rookies: Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) and Enea Bastianini (Esponsorama Racing). Both took turns leading the session, with Mir returning to P1 by just 0.005s with his best lap of the weekend.

Martin then crashed unhurt on his last lap and was out of contention, and Bastianini was unable to improve. Out of nowhere, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was then the man setting the timing screens alight though and the Japanese rider snatched P1 on his final flyer to demote Bastianini out of Q2 promotion. The Beast’s 0.005s deficit to Mir proved to be the difference. And so Mir edged through to Q2 by the skin of his teeth, and later received a fine and had his first but not fastest lap deleted for leaving pitlane early. 

Nakagami and Mir then joined the fastest 10 riders from Free Practice for Saturday’s main course: MotoGP Qualifying 2. And in said session, it took Bagnaia just one lap to break the all-time lap record, a 1:53.273 coming in from the Italian to set us up for a phenomenal first pole shootout of 2021. Still, despite the P1 time being an all-time lap record, the timing screens were lit up with red sector times.

Bagnaia didn’t improve on his next lap, but teammate Jack Miller did and the Aussie took over at the top. Next was Quartararo and the Frenchman was an astonishing four tenths under at Sector 3, losing a little in the final sector but still talking over at the top, homing in on the 52s with a 1:53.038 – another all-time lap record. After the first couple of flying laps, it was a Yamaha and Ducati fest at the top, with Aleix Espargaro placing his Aprilia Racing Team Gresini machine next up in P6 ahead of Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing). Ahead of those two sat Quartararo, Miller, Viñales, Bagnaia and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as the grid rumbled back into pitlane and prepared for a final push. 

This was it. Viñales was the leader on the road and the first to show us what he had left in his locker, the Spaniard making it a factory Yamaha 1-2. Attention then turned back to Bagnaia though, and he had Valentino Rossi in tow to boot. Pecco unleashed a mind-blowing lap to return to P1 by 0.266s, impervious and seemingly unbeatable, and Rossi’s effort put him P3 for the time being as The Doctor demoted former teammate Viñales off the front row. Top Gun then returned the favour though, taking third back and pushing Rossi down to fourth.

The front row would go unchallenged for the remaining seconds. Bagnaia said on Friday, “we will beat the record in Q2”, and he stuck to his word as the Italian to claimed his first premier class pole position in style with the fastest-ever two-wheel lap of Losail International Circuit. Quartararo and Viñales lock out the front row as The Doctor joins two of his three Yamaha counterparts inside the top four; a 1:53.114 by far the fastest Rossi has lapped Losail.

Joining the veteran Italian on the second row are Miller and Zarco. The two Bologna bullets will have been hoping for more in Q2 but the second row is a solid place from which to unleash Ducati’s holeshot device. Zarco is also the new MotoGP top speed record holder at 362.4km/h after FP4, and his last flying lap in Q2 was his best to knock Morbidelli onto the third row.

2020 runner up Morbidelli spearheads Row 3 and he’s joined by Aleix Espargaro in eighth place, an impressive feat given the top eight were all under Marc Marquez’s old lap record. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) is the final member on Row 3 in P9, with Mir being forced to settle for P10 – 0.910s back from pole position. Work to do on a Sunday for both Suzukis again, but if there’s one thing we learned in 2020, it’s to never discount the GSX-RR duo in race trim. Nakagami is the leading Honda ahead of the opening race of 2021 just behind them, he and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) will fire off the line in P11 and P12. For full results, click here. 

We were expecting fireworks, but we really did get some: a new all-time lap record and top speed record within an hour. It’s safe to say MotoGP is off to an astonishing start in the desert, as attentions now turn to race day. Bagnaia has done the hard work up until now, but can he help Ducati keep up their formidable Qatar record under the lights in 24 hours time? There’s a whole host of riders lining up behind him who are more than capable of winning the Qatar GP, and it’s going to be simply unmissable.

Francesco Bagnaia: “I’m very happy, because I achieved this result which for me is the first, and the best way to start a new chapter with a new team. Yesterday I thought it was possible to do a 52 because on my best lap yesterday I made some mistakes and I was thinking about it, so we can be happy about the result but tomorrow is the race. I think we’re a great group fighting for the top positions, Yamaha is very strong in sectors 2 and 3 and we can close the gap in sector 4 with our top speed so the balance is very close and I think tomorrow it will be a nice race and a big battle for sure.”

MotoGP front row

1 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 1:52.722
2 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.266
3 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.316

Moto2
Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was once again in superior form at the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar as the British rider set a 1:58.726 to take the first honours of the season. The Brit beat rookie sensation Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to pole position by 0.140s, with Bo Bendsneyder’s (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) awesome early season form seeing the Dutchman claim just his third Grand Prix front row start in P3, 0.233s from Lowes’.

Ahead of the opening Moto2 pole position battle, four riders entered the fray from Q1. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) was the quickest as rookie Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and 2019 Moto3 World Champion Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) finished within a tenth of each other to get another crack at the whip in Q2.

As Q2 kicked into life, the fastest rider after the opening flying laps was Lowes. Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) made it a British 1-2 but working in tandem, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner then took over at the top – the latter leading his rookie teammate with a 1:59.245. Incidentally, Lowes’ first lap time was then scrapped but soon after, his second lap then saw him fly to P1, 0.447s faster than Gardner’s best.

Once again, Dixon made it a British 1-2 but Lowes’ lead was still considerable. Bendsneyder then catapulted himself to P2 before Lowes once again pulled clear of the chasing pack. Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) then took over in second, but the Italian was still over three tenths behind. The Red Bull KTM Ajo duo then launched themselves onto the front row, Raul Fernandez P2 and Gardner P3, but the Aussie’s lap would get cancelled.

The ever-impressive Bendsneyder then hit back to demote Bezzecchi off the front row on his final lap as Gardner then threatened Lowes’ time on his last lap. However, a crash for Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) at Turn 10 – minutes after the Spaniard and teammate Dixon collided at Turn 3 – put a halt to Gardner’s late charge. Dixon was judged to have been riding slow on the line, causing a collision and has a three-place grid penalty.

At the top though, Lowes was untouchable. The 2020 title challenger has been in supreme form at Losail and will launch from pole, and he’ll line up alongside a rookie sensation in Raul Fernandez. The Spaniard has taken to Moto2 like a duck to water and Bendsneyder impressed too, picking up his first front row start since the 2017 Moto3 Dutch GP.

A star-studded second row will be lining up for the opening round of the season as Bezzecchi, Joe Roberts (American Racing) and Gardner claim P4, P5 and P6 in Q2 respectively. Dixon couldn’t improve on his couple of early banker laps and slipped down to P7, but will start further back in tenth. Q1 graduate Di Giannantonio was P8 but will start seventh ahead of Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up), with rookie Vietti boosted up to ninth after an impressive day.

Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) and Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) both went to the medical centre for check-ups after both suffering big crashes in Q1. Unfortunately, both riders have been declared unfit. Corsi sustained a left wrist fracture and Ramirez suffered a right humeral fracture, the duo will miss the Qatar GP.

Sam Lowes: “I felt good in qualifying, it was the first time we went out with low fuel, I did a quite a lot of fast laps, not a perfect lap but I’m happy. We’ve done a good job all winter and good job in the test, it’s been nice to do testing cause last year I missed it! It’s nice to understand more and give ourselves more possibilities in the race weekend if we need to, it’s going good. When you have a good year it’s nice to carry it on next year…”

Moto2 front row

1 Sam Lowes – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – 1:58.726
2 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +0.140
3 Bo Bendsneyder – Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team – Kalex – +0.233

Moto3
From Q1 to pole, 2021 is off to a good start for Darryn Binder. The Petronas Sprinta Racing rider topped the first qualifying session to make it through to the pole position shootout at the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar, then setting a 2:04.075 – a new lap record – to take the first pole of the year, despite also dicing it out with a few rivals on the way round.

Reigning FIM Moto3 Junior World Champion Izan Guevara (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) claimed a wonderful debut Grand Prix front row, and also progressed from Q1, with the rookie set to line up in second. Veteran campaigner and former Qatar podium finisher John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) completes the front row.

The biggest name to miss out on an automatic Q2 place after Free Practice was Binder, but the South African made no mistakes in Q1 to put in a 2:04.834 and top the session, cruising into the pole position shootout along with Guevara, Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) and Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride), setting the stage for the first pole position fireworks of 2021.

As Q2 began it was initially a waiting game, with all but four riders sitting outside their pit boxes, waiting for other riders and teams to blink first. It wasn’t until nearly five minutes had gone that everyone finally ventured out on track, but two of those who didn’t wait around were CIP Green Power’s Kaito Toba and Maximilian Kofler. Toba, the Free Practice pacesetter, set a 2:05.414 to lay down the first benchmark time.

Coming out of Q1, Binder was in the groove and that lap from Toba didn’t last too long at the top. The new Petronas Sprinta recruit made light work of a couple of riders in front of him and his first lap in Q2 was a new lap record, and by some margin. Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) then got within a tenth of Binder’s blistering 2:04.354 as two Moto3 race winners, John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – tangled at Turn 15, with both chasing improved lap times and things getting close in the battle for the first pole of the year.

The grid then rumbled back down pitlane after their first runs, with most leaving it late before heading back out for a one-lap dash. However, late was very late for some, and for Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3), it was too late. The Argentinean took the chequered flag before starting his lap as Toba launched himself into P3, but there was plenty still to come from those who had managed to sneak over the line for a shot at pole.

Lots of orange sectors were lighting up on the timing screens but three riders were showing red: Binder, Guevara and McPhee. Soon-to-be polesitter Binder was forcing his way through those ahead in the final sector too – those ahead being Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as the two got very close on track. 

Up ahead, and for about half a second, it seemed like a dream debut pole position was going Guevara’s way… but Binder was still on a charge. The South African completed his barnstormer and returned to P1 with another new lap record to seal the deal in a scintillating end to the first qualifying of the season. Those joining him on the front row make it an interesting one too: rookie sensation Guevera sandwiched by two pre-season title favourites in Binder and McPhee.

Alcoba missed out on a final flying lap but his opening run pace was enough to see him spearhead the second row in P4, with Masia and Toba launching from the second row too in P5 and P6 respectively. Rodrigo, Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) and Rossi set themselves up for a chance of a good start in seventh, eighth and ninth in that order. Rounding out the top 10 was Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3), a former winner at Losail. 

Darryn Binder: “It’s never fun when you have to come through Q1 first but I knew I had the speed and just had to get a lap together. When I came out in Q1 and put down that first flying lap I was like ‘Ok, I’m here and I’m done’. Roll On Q2. We went out later than I expected in Q2, and I did my lap, came in and thought ‘nah no one is gonna do it at the end’. Next thing we’re rolling out again, I’m like ‘we’re going and I gotta put another one together now, I’ve got another chance’. I put together a good one there, I’m so stoked. Can’t complain, starting first and I got myself a new watch!”

Moto3 front row

1 Darryn Binder – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda – 2:04.075
2 Izan Guevara – GASGAS Gaviota Aspar Team – GASGAS – +0.203
3 John McPhee – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda – +0.283

The post MotoGP: Pecco pitches it to perfection for new lap record at Losail appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

He joins an exclusive club in doing so for only his second MotoGP race, with the other members comprising only Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and MotoGP Legend Casey Stoner, so the Pramac Racing rookie is in some fast company. Martin also has a tenth and a half in hand over teammate Johann Zarco as Pramac Racing made it a 1-2 on the grid for the Doha GP, with Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) taking third – as he did last week on his way to the win…

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On a windy day in Doha, Q1 saw some big names fighting to move through, including – once again – reigning MotoGP World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). But Mir got the job done and with a more clinical show of speed this time around, topping the session to head through alongside Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). And so, the time to fight it out for pole was nigh.

As Q2 began, it was a familiar name making his presence felt. Martin put in a 1:53.892 straight out the traps to impress early, before Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) briefly deposed him. Shadowing Mir, however, Martin hit back quick with a 1:53.597 as Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) slotted himself into P2, just 0.017s behind Martin’s early benchmark.

After the first couple of flying laps, Martin, Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was the provisional front row, with Morbidelli and the Ducati Lenovo Team duo of Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller on the second row with just over five minutes remaining. World Championship leader and Qatar GP winner Viñales was a whole nine tenths off in P9 – just behind Mir, who was down in P8. But soon the field rumbled back out for their second runs, and it was Viñales first on a mission. 

Despite a couple of moments for the number 12, he shot from P9 to P1 with under two minutes to go and it was clear there was more in the locker. Sure enough, Viñales was over a quarter of a second up on his next flying lap. He then nailed Sector 2, nailed Sector 3 and taking the chequered flag, the Qatar GP winner extended his advantage to 0.330s. 

Attention then turned to Martin, however, as the rookie was up by 0.015s in Sector 2. It was his final shot at it too, and he seemed the last rider on the roll needed to depose Viñales. In the final sector though, Zarco suddenly gained over two tenths to snatch provisional pole by an absolute whisker – 0.004s – but Martin wasn’t done yet. Out on his own without a tow, in classic Martin style, the new kid on the MotoGP block stormed across the line and did it. A tenth and a half clear, it was provisional pole with only Miller and Quartararo in the hunt. Could either spoil the party? Not quite. Firing their way to the chequered flag, neither worried the front row although both improved their times to grab P4 and P5 respectively.

A little history is therefore made in Doha as the ‘Martinator’ shows us how it’s done, with Zarco making it Saturday Night Fever for Pramac Racing in a 1-2 for the team. Viñales once again lines up P3 at Losail, and he’ll be looking to repeat his season opening feat – just maybe this time without the Ducati armada swamping everyone at the start.

Spearheading Row 2 is Miller, who will have wanted more but already proved how quickly he can make up that ground last week. The Australian also suffered a wobble in Q2, so a Row 2 start is a job well done. Quartararo’s fifth place was less than the Frenchman would have expected, but it’s another solid session for the number 20 to get back in the fight at the front. Sixth was another rider who would have wanted a little more after taking pole last week: Pecco Bagnaia. He’ll want to get the most from Ducati’s stellar starts and move up from there.

Leading the third row is Aleix Espargaro after another fantastic performance. With the Yamahas and Ducatis looking strong in Qatar, starting P7 – one place higher than last week – is yet another job well done for the Noale factory. Joining the Aprilia rider on Row 3, meanwhile, are both Team Suzuki Ecstar riders: Alex Rins sits 0.040s ahead of teammate Mir as the GSX-RR duo finish 0.6s shy from pole position. Judging by their progress last weekend on race day, there’s plenty to come from the Hamamatsu factory.

Rounding out the top 10 is Morbidelli, the Italian just 0.009s from the third row, with leading Honda rider Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team) and fastest KTM Oliveira completing the Q2 graduates in P11 and P12 respectively. So where’s Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT)? P21 after one of the Doctor’s worst days at the office, so he’ll be looking for a lot more on Sunday.

That’s it from a history-making qualifying, and if Martin gets anything like the start he did last Sunday, then he’ll be into Turn 1 with a couple of hours in hand. He says he’s aiming for the top six though, whereas Zarco is very definitely aiming for the win from second. With Viñales exactly where he was last week though, will history repeat itself?

MotoGP front row (Full Results Here)

1 Jorge Martin* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – 1:53.106
2 Johann Zarco* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +0.157
3 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.161

Moto2
Last weekend’s race winner Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) once again brought his A-game to the table when it mattered at the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha, with the British rider and Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) going head-to-head for pole position and the number 22 coming out on top.

Lowes’ 1:59.055 sees him head the grid by nearly a tenth and a half, but with Gardner in second on take two in the desert it’s the man who proved Lowes’ closest rival last weekend starting right alongside him. Another familiar face from the fight at the front in the Qatar GP, Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46), completes the front row in P3.

There was early drama in Moto2 Q1 as Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) missed out on a place in the top four, with reigning Moto3 World Champion Albert Arenas (Solunion Aspar Team) slamming in a personal best lap on his final flyer that was enough for P3. That demoted Vierge to P5 and out of Q2. Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) topped the first part of qualifying with a 1:59.592 though, moving through ahead of Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Arenas and Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing).

Gardner was the early pacesetter once Q2 got underway, but the times were down on Q1’s best efforts. Red sectors then lit up the timing screens as a big reshuffle took place, with Aron Canet (Solunion Aspar Team) leading the field from Bendsneyder. Bezzecchi took control of the session next with a 1:59.736, but the times would tumble again.

Gardner hit back, Lowes did the same and Dixon made his way up into second. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) soon split the Brits to grab P2, but the Free Practice pacesetter was three tenths down on Lowes – and just 0.002s ahead of Dixon. Fighting back, Bezzecchi slipped into P2 with just over two minutes left, before Gardner muscled his way back into second. A red second split then popped up for Gardner as Lowes backed out, so all eyes turned to the number 87…

Gardner was also up in Sector 3, but could he keep it going all the way to the line? Not quite! The Aussie just lost ground and despite improving his time, pole went to Lowes for the second week in a row. After Gardner started much further back on his way to second in the Qatar GP however, a front row is mission accomplished, as it is for Bezzecchi in P3.

Raul Fernandez ends his second Moto2 qualifying session in P4, another fantastic job by the rookie, and he’s joined on Row 2 by Q1 graduate Dixon. A late charge from rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) seals a brilliant P6 for the Japanese rider as he makes a big leap up the timesheets on take two in Doha, even getting the better of third place Qatar GP finisher Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) as the Italian is forced to head up Row 3. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) and Canet slot in behind Diggia, with Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completing the top 10 in Q2.

Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP 40), Arenas, Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), American rookie Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) and Bendsneyder complete the fastest 15 on Saturday.

Moto2 front row (Full Results Here)

1 Sam Lowes – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – 1:59.055
2 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +0.137
3 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex – +0.272

Moto3
He left it late but Qatar GP race winner Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) will start from pole at the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha after a last dash to the top, the Spaniard taking it from Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) by less than a tenth as the Championhip leader proved the only rider under the 2:06 mark.

Garcia was second quickest but will start from pitlane due to a penalty, with third quickest in Q2, Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3), therefore set to start second. His teammate Gabriel Rodrigo was fourth fastest but bumps up onto the front row.

The pitlane start penalties played their part deciding the Moto3 grid even before qualifying did, with seven riders – including Garcia – given the punishment for their riding in FP2 on Friday evening. The rest are Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride), with a few in Q2 and a few in Q1, complicating life somewhat for those looking to move through.

Once Q1 was underway though, it was the experienced head of Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) who topped the first qualifying session with a 2:06.925, a tenth faster than Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia and Xavier Artigas. Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP) got the job done to earn the final place in the top four and with the windy conditions making a big difference, slipstreaming – an ever-present factor in the lightweight class – was even more important than before.

Once they headed back out for Q2, Garcia was the early pacesetter but Migno was soon at the summit. The Italian, lapping with the Leopard duo and Dupasquier, then improved on his second lap to go over a tenth clear of Garcia with seven minutes to go. Izan Guevara (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) was provisionally on the front row too, with the likes of John McPhee, his Petronas Sprinta Racing teammate Darryn Binder and World Championship leader Masia languishing outside the top 10.

The fun and games started as the riders headed out for their second runs though, with everything coming down to the final three minutes and a one-lap dash for the entire 18-strong field. As they thundered over the line, Garcia was the first to take to the top but almost immediately, Masia snatched it back by less than a tenth. Just behind them, Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 duo Alcoba and Gabriel Rodrigo were able to propel themselves to P3 and P4, with McPhee and Binder also improving in the same gaggle of riders. But no one could beat Masia’s laptime.

That leaves the Championship leader top of the pile in the perfect position to try and complete the double on Sunday, although pole is nearly two seconds off last week, the challenge was a different one in the conditions. Garcia heads for pitlane despite going second fastest, with Alcoba and Rodrigo therefore locking out the front row. 

Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) heads the second row, with Andrea Migno alongside him as the Italian slipped to sixth fastest but fifth on the grid. Last week’s polesitter Binder and teammate McPhee didn’t have the best Q2 but were P7 and P8, and both move up a place in the penalty shuffle: Binder completes Row 2 as McPhee spearheads Row 3.

Rookie Pedro Acosta was the ninth fastest man in Q2, but the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider also has a pitlane start so it’s two positions gained for those directly behind him. The first of those was 10th fastest Izan Guevara who will start eighth, ahead of Jason Dupasquier as the Q1 graduate was 11th quickest and moves up to complete the third row.

Moto3 top three (Full Results Here)

1 Jaume Masia – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM – 2:05.913
2 Sergio Garcia – GASGAS Gaviota Aspar Team – GASGAS – +0.099
3 Jeremy Alcoba – Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 – Honda – +0.245

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