MotoGP 2014 – Misano Race Day Guide – Statistics by Dr. Martin Raines
Jorge Lorenzo, who has won at Misano for the last three years, starts from pole for the first time since the Japanese Grand Prix last year. This is his first pole at Misano in the MotoGP class
In second place on the grid is Andrea Iannone – his third front row start of 2014. This is the best qualifying result by a Ducati rider at Misano since Casey Stoner was on pole for the San Marino GP in 2008
In third place on the grid is Valentino Rossi, which is his first front row since he was the third- fastest qualifier at the Australian GP last year. Rossi has not won at either of the Italian circuits used for Grand Prix racing (Mugello and Misano) since his victory at Misano in 2009
The last time there was no Repsol Honda Team rider on the front row of a MotoGP race was at the Valencia Grand Prix of 2010, while the last time no Honda motorcycle of any team qualified on the front row was at the Portuguese Grand Prix of 2010 in Estoril
Marc Marquez heads the second row of the grid – the first time since the Catalan Grand Prix last year that he has failed to get on the front row. All 17 of Marquez’s MotoGP wins have come when he has started on the front row. If Marquez wins the race, it will be his 12th victory of the year which would equal Mick Doohan’s record for most premier-class GP wins in a single season (with Repsol Honda Team in 1997.
In the middle of the second row is Dani Pedrosa, who has finished in the top five at the last 16 successive races. Pedrosa won the San Marino GP in 2010 – the last time that Honda has won at Misano
After front row starts at the last three races, Andrea Dovizioso has qualified in sixth place on the grid. Dovizioso has finished fourth on three occasions in the MotoGP race at Misano, but has yet to have a podium finish at the circuit
Pol Espargaro, who won the Moto2 race at Misano last year, has qualified in seventh place
Aleix Espargaro is in eighth place on the grid and will be aiming to finish in the top ten at a Grand Prix race at Misano for the first time
In ninth place on the grid is Bradley Smith, whose qualifying time was just 0.523 seconds slower than Jorge Lorenzo’s pole position lap.
Moto2
Mika Kallio has qualified on pole for the third time in 2014. On both previous occasions he has started from pole this year, he has gone on to win the race. Kallio has not had a podium finish in his seven Grand Prix starts at Misano
In second place on the grid is Tito Rabat – his 11th front row start of the year. Rabat has won the last two races and will be aiming to become only the third rider to win three or more successive Moto2 races, along with Toni Elias and Marc Marquez
In third place on the grid is Thomas Luthi, who will be aiming to get back on the podium for the first time since he was third in the opening race of the year in Qatar
Maverick Viñales heads the second row of the grid, which is his best qualifying result since he was third fastest qualifier in Catalunya. Viñales has had ten top six finishes from the first 12 races of his rookie year in the Moto2 class
In fifth place on the grid is Dominique Aegerter. With Simone Corsi missing the Moto2 race at Misano, Aegerter will become the only rider with 100% appearance record in all 81 Moto2 races since the class was introduced in 2010
Ricard Cardus is seventh on the grid – his best ever qualifying result in Grand Prix racing.
Moto3
Jack Miller, who is making his 50th GP start, is on pole for the seventh time this year. After finishing on the podium four times in the opening five races of 2014, Miller has stood on the podium on just two occasions in the last seven races
Niklas Ajo is in second place on the grid – his best ever qualifying result in Grand Prix racing. This is the best qualifying result by a Finnish rider in the lightweight-class of GP racing since Mika Kallio was in second place on the grid for the 125cc race at Motegi in 2006
In third place on the grid is Alex Rins, which is his eighth front row start of the year. Rins won the Moto3 race last year at Misano by just 0.05 seconds from eventual World Champion Maverick Viñales
Heading the second row of the grid is Alex Marquez, the first time since the Italian GP that he has failed to get on the front row. Marquez set a new Moto3 lap record last year at Misano on his way to finishing third
Miguel Oliveira has qualified in fifth position, which equals his best grid position so far in 2014
Danny Kent is in sixth place on the grid – his best qualifying result since the German GP
