Quartararo will start eighth, just ahead of Aleix Espargaró
MADRID, 3 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Australian rider Jack Miller (Ducati) has won pole position for the MotoGP race at the San Marino Grand Prix, the fourteenth round of the Motorcycle World Championship, leading the six Ducati in the ‘Top 10’ start, while the championship leader , the French Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), will start eighth just ahead of the Spanish Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia).
A time of 1:31.899 earned the ocean-going rider the privileged position, becoming the eighth different poleman of the course in the premier class, and beating the Italian Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) by 84 thousandths, second this Saturday.
However, ‘Pecco’ will have to start from fifth on the grid after being penalized three positions for obstructing Spaniard Alex Márquez (Honda) in his attempt to set a fastest lap during Friday practice.
The transalpine penalty will allow his compatriot Enea Bastianini (Ducati) to move up one position and Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati) to move to the front row. The Spanish Maverick Viñales (Aprilia) will also benefit from the fact, who will start fourth ahead of ‘Pecco’ and the Frenchman Johann Zarco (Ducati).
Thus, Quartararo will have six Ducatis and seven Italian motorcycles ahead of him to try to climb positions in search of strengthening his leadership, although just behind, ninth, will start his great rival for the championship, Aleix Espargaró. Alex Rins, the only Suzuki rider in San Marino in the absence of Joan Mir -a brand new signing from Repsol Honda for 2023-, will start twelfth.
With the threat of rain at the Misano-Marco Simoncelli Circuit, the riders set out to conquer pole position, with the Portuguese Miguel Oliveira (KTM) opening the time table. The appearance of the first drops facilitated the ascent of the Australian Jack Miller (Ducati), who stirred after the Italian Enea Bastianini (Ducati) snatched the best time from him.
First ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia (Ducati) and then the Frenchman Johann Zarco (Ducati) rose to the top, but with half a minute to go the oceanic returned to pole position to guarantee himself the best starting place.
Among those who failed to advance to Q2, Jorge Martín (Ducati) will start thirteenth, Alex Márquez (Honda) will start sixteenth, Pol Espargaró (Repsol Honda) will start nineteenth and Raúl Fernández (KTM), twenty-fifth and last.