2020 MotoGP Jerez Qualifying Quotes
Fabio Quartararo – P1
“Today was a really great day. Yesterday was the toughest FP1 of my career, then FP2 the feeling was better and then FP3 this morning was the first time attack lap since pre-season in Qatar. Of course it is a great feeling to be pole, especially after such a long time with no race, but this is only Saturday. We need to do the same on Sunday! We will obviously try our best, we have a good pace and we will try to get the best possible result tomorrow. We know we are strong and tyre life is good, but our rivals are also very strong. I’m focusing on the job that I need to do and hopefully we will be able to fight for the victory. I’m not obsessing over a first MotoGP win though, our goal tomorrow is to be on the podium. We have 13 races in a short space of time so we need consistent results.”
Maverick Vinales – P2
“I feel really good, honestly. I think we improved the bike quite a lot, especially in the hot conditions. We worked on it during Q1, so it seems that we found something there – that will be very important for tomorrow. But anyway, I‘m so happy and so excited to start the race, because in FP4 I felt incredibly good, and I felt I was hitting good lap times. I can‘t wait for tomorrow!”
Marc Marquez – P3
“It was tough! The lap time with this high temperature was very good. I knew even before we left the garage that my target was to try and be on the front row because for some reason Yamaha and Suzuki over one lap are very strong with the new tyre. But we have been working for race distance and in FP4 tyre life and our pace was very good. This is the main focus for tomorrow.”
Pecco Bagnaia – P4
“This weekend we had a different strategy and it worked. I didn’t expect that we could go under the 1:37 with the heat. Tomorrow during the race it will be very important to make a good start and preserve a good race pace. I’m very happy, I can ride as I want, I feel good with my bike, my team and Ducati and I have to thanks them for the confidence and the great work that they made in these months.”
Jack Miller – P5
“I’m happy for today, second row is a good result. I’m disappointed for the crash, but I was trying my maximum to try to improve the position. The track is quite tricky, the temperature is probably the biggest problem and we have to pay attention in the race tomorrow because I think the pace will not be incredibly fast and we have to manage the tyres.”
Cal Crutchlow – P6
“Today was a positive enough day to finish in the top six and be on the second row for the first race of the season tomorrow in Jerez. I don’t feel particularly fantastic with the bike at the moment, however, and I need to improve for the race. In the hotter conditions the package isn’t quite working exactly how I would like, and I think we can make it a bit better on Sunday. We worked hard and did a good job during qualifying. I made a couple of mistakes on my fast lap and think I could have gone a bit faster, but I don’t think I would have made the front row anyway. It’s a great job by the whole LCR Honda Castrol Team in difficult circumstances, and I look forward to finally getting in 25 laps of race action.”
Pol Espargaro – P7
“It was better than what we expected We missed everything today by milliseconds, but I think we must be happy. We were a bit worried because these high temperatures are very tricky for us. I think the bike is turning a bit better and for whatever reason this tire is adapting a bit more to our bike. The race pace especially is quite consistent and doesn’t drop as much as last year with these hot temperatures. For tomorrow’s race let’s see with the asphalt after the Moto2 race and the temperatures together with the different rubber. I will need to risk a little in the beginning, but we are in a good position to be in the second group.”
Andrea Dovizioso – P8
“Today it has been difficult for me to stay in the top positions both in FP3 and the qualifying. It’s a pity because I hoped to start from the first or second row in the race; instead, we will start from the eighth position, from the third row. We have a good race pace, but at the moment I am still not fully satisfied with my feeling with the bike. We are working on it and hope to be able to improve it in time for tomorrow. It will be important to stay at the front immediately, and I am sure we have the potential to do a good race.”
Alex Rins – P9
“I was entering the last part of the lap and suddenly I lost the front at Turn 11. I tried to recover the bike, but I couldn’t, so I entered the gravel trap at high speed, and I decided to drop the bike to avoid arriving at the barriers. Unfortunately, I suffered an injury and I felt a lot of pain. I was transferred to the Clinica Mobile and then to the hospital where they confirmed there is a damage, but we still don’t know is this will allow me to race tomorrow. Now I just want to have a good rest and try to recover as much as possible, then tomorrow morning the doctors will make the final evaluation.”
Franco Morbidelli – P10
“I think we achieved the maximum we could today as I didn’t have the right feeling in qualifying. It was fine in the practice sessions this morning, but not qualifying. It happens from time to time with the changing track conditions, different tyres, things like this that the feeling changes between sessions. The important thing is that the pace is good for the race and we know what progress we need to make tomorrow. There were some front-end issues, which meant I couldn’t push in some areas of the track, but I think we will be fine tomorrow and I am happy with where we are.”
Valentino Rossi – P11
“The Saturday made a big difference. Yesterday I didn‘t feel well with the balance of the bike, but today we improved. When you look at the data, Maverick and Fabio are strong everywhere. Usually Maverick is also very fast in braking. It looks like he is able to stop the bike a bit better than me, so this is the main issue at the moment. We improved a lot compared to yesterday, but we need more. We‘ll keep working to try to make another step, but now the top-3 guys are very strong and in Yamaha‘s case, Maverick and Fabio are riding very fast.”
Joan Mir – P12
“I’m really disappointed with how qualifying went because I’ve felt great all weekend, especially in the sessions today. Somehow I couldn’t get the feeling during Q2 and now we want to find out what happened and how to improve it. Tomorrow I’m focused on having a strong start and getting the best result I can. It will be tough with the heat, but I will push. I want to send a lot of strength to Alex, and I hope he can be back in the box as soon as possible.”
Brad Binder – P13
“To be completely honest it has been better than what I could have asked for. If I think where I started at the end of last year – or even the beginning of this one – then I think to be 12th in Jerez with the lap-time we did we have to be happy. We made a huge step in reducing mistakes. Also, with the bike’s performance in the braking zones, especially in the heat and with general comfort just by making the front a bit harder. I need to be realistic, for my first grand prix we are learning a lot and still have a hell of a lot to learn. I realize that every time I go out. I think there is margin there and opportunities for us to make good steps forward. Tomorrow will be part of that learning curve for sure.”
Danilo Petrucci – P14
“It was a pretty difficult day. Unfortunately, I struggled a lot to sleep yesterday because of the neck pain, and the painkillers are debilitating me a lot. Despite this, I am glad to have been able to regain the feeling with the bike and that we have made progress compared to yesterday. My time in qualifying was good and, if I could get straight into Q2, with that time, I would have got the fifth place on the grid. Now we have to focus on tomorrow’s race. It won’t be easy for me, but I am sure we have the potential to do well. I hope that I will feel physically better tomorrow!”
Takaaki Nakagami – P15
“It’s a case of mixed emotions because I’m obviously disappointed about our result today. P15 is not really our position, we should be a lot further forward, but this weekend the lap times are so tight between everyone in every session. Our potential in FP4, which is race time, is not so bad with used tyres. This is really positive for tomorrow and the race. We have to improve our qualifying laps a little bit. Q1 was really tight but that lap time in Q2 would have been good enough for fifth or sixth position. That is positive for us. MotoGP is so tight this year, if you lose one-tenth you drop three or four positions. You have to always be perfect. We remain positive about tomorrow, and look forward to starting the season.”
Aleix Espargaro – P16
“I must say that the weekend isn’t going too badly, but not as well as I expected after the tests on Wednesday. I wasn’t fast enough today in qualifying, although I still have a good pace over the long distance. I gave it my all on the flying lap, but with the new tyre I wasn’t able to achieve my goal of 37.5. The race tomorrow will be the most difficult session of the weekend from every point of view. We’ll see how the RS-GP reacts.”
Miguel Oliveira – P17
“This morning it was quite hard to find the pace for one fast lap. We struggled again to find grip. I think I would need a bit more time with the configuration of this bike. But in the end, we made a step forward, so this is important. Our pace is quite strong. Tomorrow it’s going to be a long and hard race, so we keep our minds positive.”
Bradley Smith – P18
“I’m rather pleased with the improvements today, despite the crash on turn 2 during qualifying. We have some work to do. The gap behind Q2 is still too wide. As I said yesterday, our pace is better than our position on the grid reflects, although tomorrow the conditions will be different. It seems like our tyre wear is a bit lower than average, so we will probably be able to maintain higher speeds in the second half of the race. In any case, it won’t be a simple Sunday.”
Tito Rabat – P19
“Today we have a positive balance, we are all very together so the position does not reflect how fast it is going or all the work we are doing. For the race, we hope to have a good start and a good first few laps. I think it will be an elimination race, due to the heat, where there will be a lot of mistakes and where we will have to keep our heads and bodies cool. We hope to have a good race“.
Johann Zarco – P20
“The weekend started off pretty well. The test day on Wednesday was useful, I think for everyone, and I was getting better with the bike which was great. But today, I didn’t handle the time attack well twice with new tyres, there was always something missing, and I didn’t handle it well. So it’s a pity, because I think it’s possible to have a good time with a better qualifying, but I also suffered a small crash in qualifying when I was improving, this put me far away on the grid. Anyway, tomorrow it will be very hot during the race, so we have to keep calm and climb positions lap after lap as it will be long, but I think the pace can be my strong point.”
Alex Marquez – P21
“The strategy today was to improve, and we made steps in both the morning and in the afternoon. Unfortunately, I am struggling more in the hot conditions than I was expecting but in the morning we were fast. Everything is so close in MotoGP. Every day I am on the bike I want to improve and learn new things; tomorrow will be a good opportunity to do this. The goal is to finish the race but still to push as hard as possible. We saw many positives today but there’s still some room to push a little more.”
Iker Lecuona – P22
“For sure it wasn’t an easy day for me. I was struggling with the bike and couldn’t find my good feeling from yesterday. FP4 was not bad, I worked a little bit more for the race. The first run of Qualifying was tricky, so I came back to the garage quite quickly, but still, I couldn’t find that great sensation I had on Friday. I’m obviously not happy but we will see what we can change for tomorrow.”
Team Managers
Massimo Meregalli – Yamaha Team Director
“It‘s been a mixed experience. Maverick seems incredibly comfortable, even in this exceptional heat. In the morning he couldn‘t use his preferred bike, but that didn‘t slow him down. He has been so fast all weekend, and his pace keeps getting stronger and stronger, so we are looking forward to seeing him fight in the race. Valentino made a step today. He improved in the morning and that helped him get into the top 10 in FP3. In FP4, when both riders worked on the tyre spec, Vale just needed a couple of tenths, so there is definite progress made in the hot afternoon conditions. But unfortunately, Q2 didn‘t go as he wanted. We need to keep working. There are areas where we know we can improve, and we will not rest until the start of tomorrow‘s race to make sure we‘re in the best shape we can possibly be.”
Davide Brivio – Suzuki Team Manager
“It’s a big pity that Alex had this crash at the very end of the session at Turn 11 after losing the front and carrying a lot of speed into the gravel. Unfortunately, he has a shoulder injury, which is a huge disappointment for him. Doctors will decide tomorrow morning if he will be fit or not for the race, so we will wait the night to see how the situation develops. Joan was unable to use his full potential during qualifying and he’ll start from the fourth row, but he has very good pace and we’ll see what’s possible. We know he’ll aim for a good result.”
MotoGP Qualifying Report
Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) won a stunning three-way fight for supremacy in qualifying at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, the Frenchman coming out on top to beat Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) to the first pole of the year. Quartararo left it late to depose Viñales, with Marquez then saying he played the risk vs reward game on his final lap… but did he?
Marquez was the first man to attack the 55-degree track temperature, but his opening lap was marred by running wide at the Dani Pedrosa corner. Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing), though, made no mistake on his first flyer, the Italian going provisional P1 before Quartararo slammed in a 1:37.064. Spurred on by his opening lap mistake, the number 93 of Marquez wasn’t hanging about on his second lap and then snatched P1 from Quartararo with a 1:37.006. The Frenchman bit back immediately with the first sub 1:37 lap of Q2 though – a 1:36.993.
Jerez then fell silent as the MotoGP riders pitted for fresh tyres, tension and anticipation peaking ahead of the final five minutes of the first premier class qualifying session of 2020. We’ve missed the rumble of the MotoGP thoroughbred machines rolling out of pitlane, but we’ve missed the intense battle for pole position even more – and that’s exactly what we go at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto.
Out before his rivals on run number two, Marquez was on song and posted a 1:36.877 to depose Quartararo from P1 as the duo duelled for pole. Another Yamaha was looking deadly too – Viñales – and despite being nearly two tenths shy of Marquez’ time coming into the last split, the number 12 had a mega final sector and demoted Marquez to take over in provisional pole. There were two men left: Quartararo was setting red splits on his final run, and so was Bagnaia.
In the meantime, there was fast crashes for Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – the fastest man in Q1 – at Turn 11, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) also going down at Turn 2 to add some more drama. Sadly, the crash resulted in injury for Rins and he’s now unfit for the weekend with a dislocated shoulder.
Back on track, Bagnaia took the chequered flag in P4 to improve his time but not position, nevertheless stunning on his run, before Quartararo showed he was the king of qualifying in Jerez for the second year in a row. ‘El Diablo’ was 0.194 under through the third split and pretty much held it to the line to lay down the gauntlet, taking the maiden MotoGP pole position of 2020. Viñales made it a Yamaha 1-2 – just as it was last year – ahead of Marquez.
Bagnaia continued his good weekend form into Saturday afternoon to earn his best-ever MotoGP™ qualifying result in P4, and the Italian will start one place ahead of teammate Miller after the Australians crashed on a provisional pole lap. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) starts P6.
After graduating from Q1, Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) takes P7 on the grid as the leading KTM rider – the Spaniard finishing 0.788 from pole – and Dovizioso had to settle for P8 after his lowside at Turn 2. Rins qualified ninth but will miss the race, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT), Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir therefore moving up a place.
What a battle in the opening MotoGP Q2 of the season. Quartararo vs Viñales vs Marc Marquez off the front row is going to be a fascinating start to the race on Sunday afternoon too, with the leading Ducatis of Bagnaia and Miller eyeing up the holeshot from 4th and 5th. It’s all set up to be a stunner, and you can watch it all unfold on Sunday at 2200 (AEST)
MotoGP Combined Qualifying
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Q | Time/Gap |
| 1 | Fabio QUARTARARO | YAMAHA | Q2 | 1m36.705 |
| 2 | Maverick VIÑALES | YAMAHA | Q2 | +0.139 |
| 3 | Marc MARQUEZ | HONDA | Q2 | +0.157 |
| 4 | Francesco BAGNAIA | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.250 |
| 5 | Jack MILLER | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.748 |
| 6 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | HONDA | Q2 | +0.749 |
| 7 | Pol ESPARGARO | KTM | Q2 | +0.788 |
| 8 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.830 |
| 9 | Alex RINS | SUZUKI | Q2 | +0.931 |
| 10 | Franco MORBIDELLI | YAMAHA | Q2 | +0.969 |
| 11 | Valentino ROSSI | YAMAHA | Q2 | +1.036 |
| 12 | Joan MIR | SUZUKI | Q2 | +1.079 |
| 13 | Brad BINDER | KTM | Q1 | (*) 0.333 |
| 14 | Danilo PETRUCCI | DUCATI | Q1 | (*) 0.360 |
| 15 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.371 |
| 16 | Aleix ESPARGARO | APRILIA | Q1 | (*) 0.877 |
| 17 | Miguel OLIVEIRA | KTM | Q1 | (*) 0.901 |
| 18 | Bradley SMITH | APRILIA | Q1 | (*) 0.903 |
| 19 | Tito RABAT | DUCATI | Q1 | (*) 0.966 |
| 20 | Johann ZARCO | DUCATI | Q1 | (*) 1.043 |
| 21 | Alex MARQUEZ | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 1.193 |
| 22 | Iker LECUONA | KTM | Q1 | (*) 1.449 |
Moto2
Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) stole the show in Moto2 qualifying at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, the Spaniard setting a 1:47.384 on his second flying lap to eventually beat Jorge Navarro (HDR Heidrun Speed Up) to pole position by 0.181 seconds. On his return from injury, Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) claims P3 and a front row start in Jerez – a venue the Brit has ruled before.
Martin was straight out in Q2 to almost immediately got down to the low 1:41s, with that eventual pole position time coming on only his second flying lap. It wasn’t such a good start for Q1 graduate Fabio Di Giannantonio (HDR Heidrun Speed Up), however, as the Italian tucked the front at Turn 2, with his bike then catching fire in the gravel. Fellow Q1 graduates Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Hafizh Syahrin (Inde Aspar Team Moto2) and Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) soldiered on.
Meanwhile at the top, Martin stood firm, with Lowes able to slot into second but still a number of tenths in arrears. The Sky Racing Team VR46 bikes of Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi were working in tandem to try and reel in Martin’s advantage too, but despite the duo continually slamming in personal bests, that three-tenth gap couldn’t be eaten into. It looked like Martin’s time was safe with the temperatures rising all the time, but Navarro was then looking good on a personal best. The polesitter from 2019 couldn’t quite repeat his feat in 2020, but he did displace Lowes from P2 to go 0.181 off Martin and split the two men at the top.
Lowes improved his time although his position remained the same, and P3 for the number 22 is a great way to kick off his 2020 campaign after missing the Qatar GP. Can he challenge for the win on Sunday? And speaking of, the Sky VR46 duo have looked stellar all weekend. Friday pacesetter Marini will lead teammate Bezzecchi off the line in P4 and P5, with rookie Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team Moto2) sitting just behind the two Italians on Row 2 after he moved up the timesheets on Saturday.
Jerez lap record holder Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) couldn’t repeat his form from FP3 and will launch from the front the third row, although the German rider was just 0.019 off the second. Championship leader Tetsuta Nagashima (Red Bull KTM Ajo), meanwhile, finished half a second off teammate Martin and will aim to keep his advantage in the overall standings from P8. Vierge came through Q1 to take ninth, just ahead of 2018 and 2019 Spanish GP race winner Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP 40), who rounds out the top ten. Can the Italian repeat his feat from the previous two years?
Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team), Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team), Edgar Pons (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) and Syahrin round out the top fifteen on the grid.
Martin was untouchable in qualifying, but the race is a different story and the grid behind him packed with challengers looking to strike back on Sunday. Who can handle the heat best when racing gets underway at 2020 (AEST).
Jorge Martin – P1
“This is another step in my career! I’ve been waiting for this moment for a year and a half. Today I didn’t think it was my day because in the warm temperatures yesterday it was difficult, but we did an incredible job and the team worked so well, with such a stable bike and lots of confidence in the front. I’m really happy and I think tomorrow in the cooler temperatures I will be faster and hopefully i I can battle for the race.”
1 Jorge Martin – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex 1’41.384
2 Jorge Navarro – HDR Heidrun Speed Up – Speed Up +0.181
3 Sam Lowes – EG 0,0 Marc VDS – Kalex – +0.300
Moto2 Combined Qualifying
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Q | Time/Gap |
| 1 | Jorge MARTIN | KALEX | Q2 | 1m41.384 |
| 2 | Jorge NAVARRO | SPEED UP | Q2 | +0.181 |
| 3 | Sam LOWES | KALEX | Q2 | +0.300 |
| 4 | Luca MARINI | KALEX | Q2 | +0.323 |
| 5 | Marco BEZZECCHI | KALEX | Q2 | +0.338 |
| 6 | Aron CANET | SPEED UP | Q2 | +0.466 |
| 7 | Marcel SCHROTTER | KALEX | Q2 | +0.485 |
| 8 | Tetsuta NAGASHIMA | KALEX | Q2 | +0.505 |
| 9 | Xavi VIERGE | KALEX | Q2 | +0.595 |
| 10 | Lorenzo BALDASSARRI | KALEX | Q2 | +0.626 |
| 11 | Enea BASTIANINI | KALEX | Q2 | +0.698 |
| 12 | Remy GARDNER | KALEX | Q2 | +0.778 |
| 13 | Edgar PONS | KALEX | Q2 | +0.915 |
| 14 | Hector GARZO | KALEX | Q2 | +0.980 |
| 15 | Hafizh SYAHRIN | SPEED UP | Q2 | +1.021 |
| 16 | Joe ROBERTS | KALEX | Q2 | +1.037 |
| 17 | Jake DIXON | KALEX | Q2 | +1.136 |
| 18 | Fabio DI GIANNANTONI | SPEED UP | Q2 | +1.734 |
| 19 | Thomas LUTHI | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.254 |
| 20 | Nicolo BULEGA | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.270 |
| 21 | Simone CORSI | MV AGUSTA | Q1 | (*) 0.385 |
| 22 | Bo BENDSNEYDER | NTS | Q1 | (*) 0.409 |
| 23 | Stefano MANZI | MV AGUSTA | Q1 | (*) 0.413 |
| 24 | Augusto FERNANDEZ | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.437 |
| 25 | Marcos RAMIREZ | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.531 |
| 26 | Somkiat CHANTRA | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.568 |
| 27 | Lorenzo DALLA PORTA | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.829 |
| 28 | Andi Farid IZDIHAR | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 1.548 |
| 29 | Jesko RAFFIN | NTS | Q1 | (*) 2.054 |
| 30 | Kasma DANIEL | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 2.254 |
Moto3
SIC58 Squadra Corse’s Tatsuki Suzuki secured back-to-back pole positions in the Moto3 class after obliterating the outright lap record at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España on Saturday. With a minute remaining and with clear track ahead, the Japanese star put his head down and grabbed his second pole of 2020, four months after his first at the Grand Prix of Qatar. Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46) put in a last minute dash to take second, with John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) taking third after he tagged on to Suzuki on the polesitter’s last lap. The Scot has had pace all weekend, however.
The scorching sun in Jerez didn’t deter the Moto3™ field from lighting up the timesheets, and in Q1 it was Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) heading the field for Husqvarna, the Italian moving through to Q2 alongside Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia). Then it was time to reset again and get ready to fight it out for the first pole since March. Ultimately that would see Suzuki break the lap record, but the timesheets tight behind the Japanese rider – just as we like it.
Fronting Row 2 of the grid is Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Raul Fernandez who, despite seemingly complaining of front-end feel halfway through Q2, found some pace to go fourth and back up his impressive form in the weekend so far. He’ll be joined on the second row by Migno’s Sky Racing Team VR46 teammate Celestino Vietti and Kömmerling Gresini Moto3 rookie Jeremy Alcoba, who put in a sensational performance to turn the tables on experienced teammate Gabriel Rodrigo, who topped the timesheets on Friday.
Moto3™ World Championship leader Albert Arenas (Gaviota Aspar Team Moto3) will try to defend his five point lead from seventh on the grid, with veteran Romano Fenati making good on his Q1 promise and taking P8. Free Practice pacesetter Gabriel Rodrigo will start ninth but could be one to watch after his speed on Friday, with Tony Arbolino completing the top ten after an improved session for the Italian after he had been forced to head through Q1.
Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) was P11 and ahead of 2019 winner Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse), with Kaito Toba (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Filip Salac (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) – Qatar podium finisher – rounding out the fastest fifteen.
Valencia 2019 winner Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0), meanwhile, could be one to watch. He starts last after a difficult session and having mis-timed his second run, and he’ll be trying to slice through the pack. No one has won from pole in Moto3 at Jerez, but someone has won from the back as Brad Binder destroyed the field in 2016!
All that remains now is to race, with Moto3 sure to put on an incredible show at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto. Tune in from 1900 (AEST) for their return to competition.
Tatsuki Suzuki – P1
“I was struggling a little bit from FP1 because after the crash in the test I lost a bit of confidence on my bike and I was struggling a bit with my riding. But after, I started to work hard with my team and this morning we made a small step on the bike and I got a good feeling. So in Q2, from the first lap I did a 45.7 and I was quite happy about that. But I wasn’t t sure if it was enough for pole. So I tried to improve more at the end, and I went three tenths faster so I was quite happy!”
1 Tatsuki Suzuki – SIC58 Squadra Corse – Honda 1:45.465
2 Andrea Migno – Sky Racing Team VR46 – KTM +0.195
3 John McPhee – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda +0.307
Moto3 Combined Qualifying
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Q | Time/Gap |
| 1 | Tatsuki SUZUKI | HONDA | Q2 | 1m45.465 |
| 2 | Andrea MIGNO | KTM | Q2 | +0.195 |
| 3 | John MCPHEE | HONDA | Q2 | +0.307 |
| 4 | Raul FERNANDEZ | KTM | Q2 | +0.501 |
| 5 | Celestino VIETTI | KTM | Q2 | +0.611 |
| 6 | Jeremy ALCOBA | HONDA | Q2 | +0.626 |
| 7 | Albert ARENAS | KTM | Q2 | +0.696 |
| 8 | Romano FENATI | HUSQVARNA | Q2 | +0.773 |
| 9 | Gabriel RODRIGO | HONDA | Q2 | +0.800 |
| 10 | Tony ARBOLINO | HONDA | Q2 | +0.877 |
| 11 | Jaume MASIA | HONDA | Q2 | +0.934 |
| 12 | Niccolò ANTONELLI | HONDA | Q2 | +0.967 |
| 13 | Kaito TOBA | KTM | Q2 | +1.089 |
| 14 | Filip SALAC | HONDA | Q2 | +1.109 |
| 15 | Ai OGURA | HONDA | Q2 | +1.115 |
| 16 | Stefano NEPA | KTM | Q2 | +1.132 |
| 17 | Ayumu SASAKI | KTM | Q2 | +1.456 |
| 18 | Deniz ÖNCÜ | KTM | Q2 | +1.844 |
| 19 | Dennis FOGGIA | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.393 |
| 20 | Yuki KUNII | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.779 |
| 21 | Darryn BINDER | KTM | Q1 | (*) 0.839 |
| 22 | Davide PIZZOLI | KTM | Q1 | (*) 0.923 |
| 23 | Carlos TATAY | KTM | Q1 | (*) 1.018 |
| 24 | Riccardo ROSSI | KTM | Q1 | (*) 1.131 |
| 25 | Ryusei YAMANAKA | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 1.476 |
| 26 | Maximilian KOFLER | KTM | Q1 | (*) 1.814 |
| 27 | Alonso LOPEZ | HUSQVARNA | Q1 | (*) 1.946 |
| 28 | Jason DUPASQUIER | KTM | Q1 | (*) 1.962 |
| 29 | Barry BALTUS | KTM | Q1 | (*) 2.200 |
| 30 | Khairul Idham PAWI | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 2.303 |
| 31 | Sergio GARCIA | HONDA | FP1 | 0.994 |
MotoE
No one has been able to stop Eric Granado (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) so far at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, and the Brazilian retained that unbeatable record in E-Pole too – spectacularly. Granado set a 1:48.620 on his only flying lap to beat Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) by 0.191, with Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) 0.256 off E-Pole in third. Granado was also on pole in Valencia last year, making it back-to-back Saturday success in the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup.
E-Pole took place in scorching conditions as the riders prepared to make their only lap count, the grid headed out in reverse order to how they finished in Free Practice. That meant newcomer Jakub Kornfeil (WithU Motorsport) was the first to put a marker down – a 1:51.012 – but faster times were being pumped in all the while, with Alex De Angelis (Octo Pramac MotoE) then putting in a low 1:49 to lead the way in the early stages. However, de Angelis wouldn’t keep P1 for long as Alejandro Medina (Openbank Aspar Team) set the first 1:48 of E-Pole to take provisional pole position.
Next, Tulovic then took the baton and went to the top of the standings. Two riders who competed in last year’s Cup couldn’t beat the rookie German’s effort either, with Xavier Simeon (LCR E-Team) and reigning Cup winner Matteo Ferrari (Trentino Gresini MotoE) going 0.2 and 0.1 seconds off respectively.
Niccolo Canepa (LCR E-Team) was then looking feisty on his lap and the Italian was setting red sectors, but disaster struck at the fast Turn 11. Canepa lost the front and slid out of contention, smashing his Energica Ego Corsa to pieces which brought out the red flags – unfortunately for Aegerter, who had just gone through the first sector at the rapid rate of knots. Canepa was rider ok, Aegerter forced to reset and go again.
Once the session was restarted, the Swiss rider was again on a potential pole lap but ultimately lost out to Tulovic by 0.065, with everything then down to one rider – Granado. Halfway around the lap, it looked like Tulovic had E-Pole in the bag as the Brazilian was two tenths off, but an outstanding third sector followed which saw Granado pull 0.2 clear. Could the number 51 rider hold his advantage in the final sector? Not all of it, but a good chunk of it – he claimed E-Pole by 0.191 to deny Tulovic a debut pole position in the electric class.
Ferrari, Medina and Simeon lock out Row 2, with de Angelis, rookie Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) and Niki Tuuli (Avant Ajo MotoE) on the third row. Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) locked out the top ten.
If that doesn’t tee you up nicely for the opening MotoE race of the 2020 season then we don’t know what will. Can anyone beat Granado on Sunday morning? Find out at 1805 (AEST)) when the electric class go into battle in Jerez over a reduced race distance of six laps.
Eric Granado – P1
“I’m very happy because we’ve done a great job every day. Since Wednesday I felt very comfortable with the bike and today morning we made a very positive training with a good rhythm. Although I had some mistakes in the E-pole, especially in the first and second part, I was able to solve them and finish the lap well, getting the pole position. This gives us an extra motivation for the race, now we will work with the team to have a little more grip tomorrow because the hot track makes us drift a lot. But despite this I am happy, and I wanted to thank the team and the sponsors, tomorrow we will give our best!”
Josh Hook – P13
“E pole was a little bit disappointing, wasn’t the result we wanted, Half a second and we can improve 5-6 positions. We need to improve in the 4th sector, because we are very strong in the first 3 I’m confident and very positive for tomorrow.”
MotoE Combined Qualifying
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Time/Gap |
| 1 | Eric Granado | Energica | 1m48.620 |
| 2 | Lukas Tulovic | Energica | 1m48.811 |
| 3 | Dominique Aegerter | Energica | 1m48.876 |
| 4 | Matteo Ferrari | Energica | 1m48.945 |
| 5 | Alejando Medina | Energica | 1m48.966 |
| 6 | Xaiver Simeon | Energica | 1m49.070 |
| 7 | Alex De Angelis | Energica | 1m49.131 |
| 8 | Jordi Torres | Energica | 1m49.293 |
| 9 | Niki Tuuli | Energica | 1m49.372 |
| 10 | Mattia Casadei | Energica | 1m49.374 |
| 11 | Mike Di Meglio | Energica | 1m49.650 |
| 12 | Xavi Cardelus | Energica | 1m449.710 |
| 13 | Josh Hook | Energica | 1m49.722 |
| 14 | Maria Herrera | Energica | 1m49.743 |
| 15 | Tommaso Marcon | Energica | 1m50.110 |
| 16 | Jakub Kornfeil | Energica | 1m51.012 |
| 17 | Niccolo Canepa | Energica |
2020 Jerez MotoGP Race Schedule (AEST)
| Time | Class | Session |
| 1620 | Moto3 | WUP |
| 1650 | Moto2 | WUP |
| 1720 | MotoGP | WUP |
| 1805 | MotoE | RACE |
| 1900 | Moto3 | RACE |
| 2020 | Moto2 | RACE |
| 2200 | MotoGP | RACE |
