Vinales claims Qatar Pole - Miller P4 - Gardner P5 in Moto2

Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) has taken the first MotoGP pole position of the 2019 season at the VisitQatar Grand Prix, a 1:53.546 enough to give him a little breathing space ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), with Aussie Jack Miller narrowly missing out on the front row.

Maverick Vinales – MotoGP 2019 Qatar

Jack Miller explaining, “Unfortunately the crash that didn’t allow me to complete the second lap. I’m sure I could have ended up with the front row. However, I am very satisfied with what we did today, especially in the FP4 with a long run where the race pace was very positive”.

Viñales was two tenths clear, but the gap between Dovizioso and Marquez was an infinitesimal and mouth-watering 0.001. Three previous winners and three different manufacturers on the front row, the first qualifying session of the season sets a stunning scene for Sunday.

Andrea Dovizioso – MotoGP 2019 Qatar

Andrea Dovizioso saying, “I’m very happy because we managed to improve significantly over the weekend. The tests here left us with a few doubts, but we stayed calm and focused, which in the end is always the best approach. We have great chemistry within my team and we knew how to react. We posted a really fast lap, which wasn’t even perfect, so I’m even more confident about our possibilities. That said, the lap times don’t necessarily show how the race will unfold, since the wind and low track temperatures can still change the picture. At any rate, I’m really happy to start from first row.”

Marc Marquez adding, “It’s one of the circuits where we usually struggle so I had to work on the strategy to get a front row. This was the target and I am happy to have achieved it. Especially today where it was incredibly cold and windy, if it’s like this tomorrow we need to survive. Yesterday I felt really strong with the bike but today it was tougher and it was so easy to crash and we had to limit the risks. Tomorrow we will see what happens, the temperature could change a lot.”

Marc Marquez – MotoGP 2019 Qatar

Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) impressed early as the rookie initially shot to the top of the times, only to be beaten almost immediately by Q1 graduate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu). That’s when Viñales struck, storming to the summit with a lap that was 0.741 quicker than anyone else. Quartararo and Nakagami exchanged second fastest laps to leave the Japanese rider 0.395 off as the field headed in for a change of tyres, but it was soon about to change.

Viñales led the troops back out for their second runs and the goalposts were moved once more. Three more tenths were shaved off his best time, with Miller then slotting into P2 and just 0.2 off. The Australian crashed at Turn 2 soon after though, ending his hopes of pole and leaving his time under threat.

Dovizioso needed no second invitation, making a move into second place soon after. The Italian looked set to challenge Viñales again as he went over a tenth under after the first split, but the lap was gone by the second sector; his qualifying effort over.

Attention then turned to Marquez, who was on the tail of Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati Team) as neither sat on the provisional front row with little time left. Tactics on point, the reigning World Champion was able to snatch P3 from Miller. Encouraged by the front row at a difficult track, the number 93 is ready to fight it out on Sunday.

Jack Miller – MotoGP 2019 Qatar

Miller therefore heads up the second row as top Independent, but it was a pretty close challenge from Quartararo by the end of the session. The French rookie retained his stunning pace so far and lines up fifth, just a tenth and a half off the Aussie. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) completes an all-Independent second row, with plenty of honour – and points – up for grabs for each.

Petrucci starts seventh and, after outpacing teammate Dovizioso for much of testing, will be gunning to move forward on race day and battle for his first victory. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) is P8, with Nakagami eventually knocked down to ninth. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) completes the top ten and was a crasher on Saturday – another who’ll be looking for much more once the lights go out. Rookie teammate Joan Mir is right behind him.

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) is P12, ahead of rookie Francesco Bagnaia (Alma Pramac Racing). Then come two big surprises: Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) in P14 after a tough day and Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) in P15. Lorenzo suffered two crashes, but is fit to race.

Top 3 MotoGP Qualifiers – MotoGP 2019 Qatar

2019 MotoGP Qualifying – Qatar Round 1

Maverick VIÑALES SPA YAMAHA Q2 1’53.546
Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA DUCATI +0.198
Marc MARQUEZ SPA HONDA +0.199
Jack MILLER AUS (Alma Pramac Racing) DUCATI +0.263
Fabio QUARTARARO FRA YAMAHA +0.400
Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR HONDA +0.549
Danilo PETRUCCI ITA DUCATI +0.654
Franco MORBIDELLI ITA YAMAHA +0.690
Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN HONDA +0.693
Alex RINS SPA SUZUKI +0.711
Joan MIR SPA SUZUKI +0.844
Aleix ESPARGARO SPA APRILIA +1.371
Francesco BAGNAIA ITA DUCATI Q1
Valentino ROSSI ITA YAMAHA Q1
Jorge LORENZO SPA HONDA Q1
Pol ESPARGARO SPA KTM Q1
Miguel OLIVEIRA POR KTM Q1
Tito RABAT SPA DUCATI Q1
Andrea IANNONE ITA APRILIA Q1
Karel ABRAHAM CZE DUCATI Q1
Johann ZARCO FRA KTM Q1
Hafizh SYAHRIN MAL KTM Q1
Bradley SMITH GBR APRILIA Q1

Moto2: Remy Gardner lines up in P5

Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) is set to start the VisitQatar Grand Prix from his first ever pole position, setting a best time of 1:58.585 to beat Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) by 0.146, with Free Practice’s fastest man Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP 40) completing the front row.

Marcel Schrötter – MotoGP 2019 Qatar

It was the first time the intermediate class had taken part in a Q1, Q2 format qualifying and it was Schrötter who set the early pace before creating his own first. Pole set on his sixth flier, he ended the session 0.146 ahead of Vierge, with Baldassarri jumping up the timesheets in the latter stages to grab a front row start – just 0.199 from pole.

After progressing from Q1, Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) put in a good shift in Q2 to head the second row in fourth, although it could have been better if not for the Italian crashing at Turn 2 with just over two minutes to go. Gardner starts fifth, ahead of Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) in sixth, 0.260 from pole.

Remy Gardner – MotoGP 2019 Qatar

Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) will line up seventh on his first start since returning to the Moto2 class, the Swiss rider 0.419 off his teammate’s pole lap, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) joining him on the third row in P8. Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) will lineup ninth for the opening race of the year, with fellow Spaniard Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP 40) completing the top ten.

Reigning Moto3 World Champion Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) crashed during FP2, rider ok, and he starts P11 as the leading rookie.

Top 3 Moto2 Qualifiers – MotoGP 2019 Qatar

2019 Moto2 Qualifying – Qatar Round 1

Marcel SCHROTTER GER KALEX 1’58.585
Xavi VIERGE SPA KALEX +0.146
Lorenzo BALDASSARRI ITA KALEX +0.199
Luca MARINI ITA KALEX +0.219
Remy GARDNER AUS (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) KALEX +0.234
Sam LOWES GBR KALEX +0.260
Thomas LUTHI SWI KALEX +0.419
Brad BINDER RSA KTM +0.453
Alex MARQUEZ SPA KALEX +0.477
Augusto FERNANDEZ SPA KALEX +0.628

Moto3: Canet storms to opening Moto3 pole

Sterilgarda Max Racing’s Aron Canet clinched the first Moto3 pole position of the season in impressive fashion at the VisitQatar Grand Prix, the only man the go beneath the 2:06 barrier and eventually finishing just under two tenths clear of the chasing pack with a 2:05.883. The front row is completed by two men starting from there for the first time: Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) in second, although he was on the podium at Losail last season, and Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia) in third.

Aron Canet – MotoGP 2019 Qatar

John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) starts from fourth and could be one to watch as a former podium finisher at the venue too, impressing in the first ever Moto3 Q2 despite coming through Q1. SIC58 Squadra Corse’s Nicollo Antonelli, who starts fifth, is another with a top record as the Italian won in 2016. He recovered from a crash at Turn 10 with seven minutes left on the clock in Q2.

Albert Arenas (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team) will sit on the outside of the second row of the grid, ahead of Italy’s Tony Arbolino (Snipers Team) and Sky Racing Team VR46’s Celestino Vietti after he became the first man to top a Moto3 Q1 session. Reale Avintia Arizona 77’s Vicente Perez ended the session ninth quickest, just three thousandths of a second ahead of reigning Junior Moto3 World Champion Raul Fernandez (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team).

A hugely frustrated Romano Fenati (Snipers Racing) had to settle for eleventh on the grid after not leaving pitlane for his last attempt at taking pole position until there was exactly two minutes remaining, meaning the chequered flag came out before he could start a final flying lap.