Zarco takes Pole at Qatar MotoGP
Marquez & Petrucci complete front row
Jack Miller tenth on grid
Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) took his third pole position in the MotoGP class, beating Jorge Lorenzo’s best lap from 2008 and is now the second French rider overall in the premier class after Christian Sarron for pole positions. He is also the first French rider to start a season from pole position since Pierre Monneret in Reims 1954.
This is the first time there are two independent team riders on the front row since Motegi last year with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) ahead of Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing).
In second place on the grid is Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team) who won the MotoGP race in Qatar in 2014. He was also second on the grid two years ago and eventually crossed the line in third.
This highest Ducati rider is Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) in third place on the grid, which is his fifth front row start in the MotoGP class, to make it three different manufacturers represented on the front row for the third successive time in Losail.
Heading the second row is Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda CASTROL), his best qualifying result since he was fourth also in Aragon last year.
As last year in Losail, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) is in fifth place on the grid. He has been the first Ducati rider across the line for the last five years at this track.
Taking the final place on the second row is Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR), which is best qualifying result on what it is his 14th start in the MotoGP class.
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) starts his 200th MotoGP race from seventh on the grid, his worst qualifying result since Australia last season. For the last two years in Qatar, Pedrosa finished in 5th place in Qatar, from 7th place on the grid. He has never won the opening race of the year since moving up to the MotoGP class in 2006.
Second Yamaha rider on the grid, Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) is in eighth place on the grid, which is his worst dry-weather qualifying result since the German Grand Prix last year.
Heading the third row of the grid is Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) who is the most successful rider on the grid in Qatar with with 6 wins (3 x MotoGP, 2 x 250cc, 1 x 125cc).
Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), who won last year in Qatar from pole position, will start from the final place of the fourth row. While Australian Jack Miller qualified 10th.
MotoGP Qualifying2 Classification 2018
- Johann ZARCO FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1’53.680
- Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda +0.202
- Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Alma Pramac Racing Ducati +0.207
- Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR LCR Honda CASTROL Honda +0.392
- Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati +0.394
- Alex RINS SPA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki +0.659
- Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda +0.688
- Valentino ROSSI ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha +0.709
- Jorge LORENZO SPA Ducati Team Ducati +0.751
- Jack MILLER AUS Alma Pramac Racing Ducati +0.769
Moto2
Alex Márquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) qualified on pole position for the fourth time in the Moto2 class, equalling Mika Kallio and Álex Rins. Lorenzo Baldassari (Pons HP40) starts from second on the grid which is his best qualifying result in what it will be his 69th Grand Prix start in the Moto2 class.
Top rookie last season, Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) starts from the front row for the second time in the intermediate category. He will be aiming to become the seventh Italian rider to win in this class.
Winner of the last three races in 2017, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is the highest non-Kalex rider on the grid. He crossed the line in fourth last year in Losail.
Romano Fenati (Marinelli Snipers Team) starts from fifth on the grid for his rookie debut, which the best qualifying result for a rookie since Sam Lowes also qualified in fifth back in 2014.
As in Qatar last year, Danny Kent (Beta Tools – Speed Up Racing) starts from sixth on the grid, equalling his best ever starting place in his Moto2 career. This is also the best result for Speed Up since Simone Corsi was the fifth-fastest qualifier in Aragon last year.
Australian Remy Gardner took 12th in qualifying, marking a strong start to the season.
Remy Gardner – P12
“That was a pretty decent start to the year. To be honest, I would have liked to get a bit more, but it was a solid qualifying. On my fast lap, I made a mistake in turn six, I probably lost a tenth or a tenth of a half. I was pushing and in the end, I can’t complain. We’ve done one of our best timed sessions in the dry yet. I think we’re in a pretty confident spot for tomorrow and don’t have to catch up a lot to be close to the top.”
Moto2 Qualifying Classification 2018
- Alex MARQUEZ SPA EG 0,0 Marc VDS Kalex 2’00.299
- Lorenzo BALDASSARRI ITA Pons HP40 Kalex 0.308
- Francesco BAGNAIA ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 Kalex 0.544
- Miguel OLIVEIRA POR Red Bull KTM Ajo KTM 0.547
- Romano FENATI ITA Marinelli Snipers Team Kalex 0.600
- Danny KENT GBR Beta Tools – Speed Up Racing Speed Up 0.666
- Jorge NAVARRO SPA Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 Kalex 0.739
- Mattia PASINI ITA Italtrans Racing Team Kalex 0.763
- Marcel SCHROTTER GER Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex 0.830
- Sam LOWES GBR Swiss Innovative Investors KTM 0.868
…12. Remy Gardner
Moto3
Niccolò Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) is on pole position for the fifth time on what will be his 103rd Grand Prix start so far. He will be aiming to take his second Moto3 race win in Losail, his fourth overall to become the most successful rider on the current grid.
In second place on the grid is Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3), his fourth successive front row start. After Valencia last year, he will be aiming to win his first back-to-back Grand Prix races. He crossed the line in third last year in Losail, his second podium finish at this time.
The highest placed KTM rider is Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider), who missed that race last year due to collarbone injury sustained after a crash during the first practice session. He will start from the front row for the seventh time of his Grand Prix career and will be looking to become the first Argentinean rider to finish on the podium in the lightweight class since Willy Perez at Spa back in 1986.
Heading the second row of the grid are Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia), which is their best ever qualifying result in the Moto3 class.
Marco Bezzecchi (PruestelGP) qualified in sixth place on the grid, his best dry-weather qualifying result since he was fifth in Assen last year.
Jakub Kornfeil (PruestelGP) qualified in 11th, his best qualifying result since he was fourth in Misano back in 2016.
As last year in Qatar, John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) starts the opening race of the season from 12th on the grid. He eventually crossed the line in second position.
Moto3 Qualifying Classification 2018
- Niccolò ANTONELLI ITA SIC58 Squadra Corse Honda 2’06.364
- Jorge MARTIN SPA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 Honda 0.001
- Gabriel RODRIGO ARG RBA BOE Skull Rider KTM 0.484
- Ayumu SASAKI JPN Petronas Sprinta Racing Honda 0.679
- Kaito TOBA JPN Honda Team Asia Honda 0.684
- Marco BEZZECCHI ITA Redox PruestelGP KTM 0.694
- Aron CANET SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda 0.695
- Philipp OETTL GER Sudmetal Schedl GP Racing KTM 0.823
- Lorenzo DALLA PORTA ITA Leopard Racing Honda 0.956
- Enea BASTIANINI ITA Leopard Racing 0.960
