Qualifying from Phillip Island

Moto GP 2014

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MotoGP live today on Freeview Channel 14 or SKY Sport NZ on Ch69.

After clinching the 2014 MotoGP Championship last week at Motegi – the first of three-consecutive rounds – Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez has every right to relax.

But that’s simply not the style of this 21-year-old Spaniard. This was evident Friday during practice for the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, Marquez finishing third overall.

Marquez only got quicker Saturday, completing the day by earning his 12th pole of 2014 MotoGP. Though a light rain provided some slick conditions ahead of Qualifying 2, the RC213V pilot was able to put in a fastest lap of 1:28.408 to secure the pole.

To put this into perspective, the Best Pole at the 2.764-mile circuit is a 1:27.899 set last year by the eventual winner Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP). Joining Marquez on the front row are Ducati Team’s Cal Crutchlow (- 0.234) and Lorenzo (- 0.242), who led Friday practice.

Marquez is now tied for most poles in a season with Casey Stoner (2011) and Mick Doohan (1997, 500cc MotoGP). All three riders obtained those record-pole seasons on Repsol Honda machinery.

“Today I felt pretty good and that’s important, because we found it hard yesterday and I was a bit too far off the pace. We improved a lot today and were riding more comfortably. We expect a hard-fought race tomorrow, but I just have to enjoy it,” Marquez says.

“Above all, it will be difficult to stop both Jorge and Valentino, who seem to have the fastest race pace. My focus on track and ambition are the same as ever and we will try to be at the front, but also over the weekend we have been trying different things out with next season in mind”.

Crutchlow, who secured his first podium finish at a wet Aragon, proved the Ducati GP14.2 chassis is working. With Lorenzo qualifying third, three-different manufacturers will start on the front row at round 16 of 2014 MotoGP.

Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Bradley Smith qualified on top of row two. The Brit finished a mere 0.006 of a second behind Lorenzo, and 0.19 of a second ahead of Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa.

The Spaniard, who is tied for second in points with Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi, was quickest in Qualifying 1 before the rain began to fall.

Taking the final qualifying position on row two was the top open-class rider so far this season, NGM Forward Racing’s Aleix Espargaro.

Qualifying on row three were Pramac Racing Ducati’s Andrea Iannone, Rossia nd Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Pol Espargaro.

As for last year’s pole man, Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso qualifying 10th, ahead of LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl and Drive M7 Aspar’s Hiroshi Aoyama.

The sole American in all of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Drive M7 Aspar’s Nicky Hayden, qualified 15th, 1.445 of a second off the pace.

For a preview of the round, visit 2014 Phillip Island MotoGP Preview.

2014 Phillip Island MotoGP Qualifying Results:
Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Bike Km/h Time Gap 1st/Prev.
1. 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 346.2 1’28.408
2. 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR Ducati Team Ducati 345.9 1’28.642 0.234 / 0.234
3. 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 342.0 1’28.650 0.242 / 0.008
4. 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 341.1 1’28.656 0.248 / 0.006
5. 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 335.2 1’28.675 0.267 / 0.019
6. 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA NGM Forward Racing Forward Yamaha 338.0 1’28.866 0.458 / 0.191
7. 29 Andrea IANNONE ITA Pramac Racing Ducati 342.7 1’28.887 0.479 / 0.021
8. 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 344.0 1’28.956 0.548 / 0.069
9. 44 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 340.1 1’28.968 0.560 / 0.012
10. 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 343.8 1’29.088 0.680 / 0.120
11. 6 Stefan BRADL GER LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 340.9 1’29.155 0.747 / 0.067
12. 7 Hiroshi AOYAMA JPN Drive M7 Aspar Honda 333.0 1’29.955 1.547 / 0.800
13. 45 Scott REDDING GBR GO&FUN Honda Gresini Honda 326.8 1’30.280 1.183 / 0.114
14. 8 Hector BARBERA SPA Avintia Racing Ducati 340.3 1’30.348 1.251 / 0.068
15. 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Drive M7 Aspar Honda 324.7 1’30.542 1.445 / 0.194
16. 17 Karel ABRAHAM CZE Cardion AB Motoracing Honda 332.2 1’30.569 1.472 / 0.027
17. 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA GO&FUN Honda Gresini Honda 341.6 1’30.635 1.538 / 0.066
18. 68 Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Ducati 341.3 1’30.729 1.632 / 0.094
19. 9 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Octo IodaRacing Team ART 325.8 1’30.812 1.715 / 0.083
20. 63 Mike DI MEGLIO FRA Avintia Racing Avintia 318.2 1’31.431 2.334 / 0.619
21. 70 Michael LAVERTY GBR Paul Bird Motorsport PBM 327.9 1’31.492 2.395 / 0.061
22. 23 Broc PARKES AUS Paul Bird Motorsport PBM 314.3 1’31.730 2.633 / 0.238

 
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