The script was drastically rewritten. Those who expected an easy pole for Marc Marquez at Rio Hondo were quickly disappointed. As the moments ticked by, track conditions saw the asphalt dry out, although sections were still wet, to justify the risky gamble made by Jack Miller who, after an initial outing on rain tires, decided to go back out on slicks. It was a decision that left some perplexed at first, but one that proved to be a simply perfect strategy.
The script was drastically rewritten. Those who expected an easy pole for Marc Marquez at Rio Hondo were quickly disappointed. As the moments ticked by, track conditions saw the asphalt dry out, although sections were still wet, to justify the risky gamble made by Jack Miller who, after an initial outing on rain tires, decided to go back out on slicks. It was a decision that left some perplexed at first, but one that proved to be a simply perfect strategy.
Jack took some enormous risks, considering the fact that at least a couple of corners were still very wet. He did some circus numbers, several times risking a crash, but then the Australian pulled the time of 1’47”153 out of his hat that derailed the competition on the final attempt. “He had balls”, said team manager Francesco Guidotti, acknowledging the madness of his rider in taking his first MotoGP pole:
“It was truly impressive – the Pramac rider said – during my lap, I kept calm and I am happy with the result.” For the record, it has been since the Grand Prix of Phillip Island in 2012 that an Australian, namely Casey Stoner, that an Australian has started from the front.
Five minutes from the end, Marc Marquez also decided to take a gamble with the slicks like Miller, but after only one lap, he went back to the garage, putting the rain tire back on. It was a decision that cost him a lot of time and in the end, the Spaniard had to settle for a sixth place time that leaves him rather disappointed (+0.601). If number 93 has a bitter taste in his mouth, the opposite is true for his teammate, Dani Pedrosa, who did the second best time in qualifying at just over a tenth and a half from the leader: “Jack was incredible – the Spanish acknowledged – Partly because turns 8 and 9 were full of water, so I decided to use the rain tires and I am happy with the performance.”
Closing out the front row is the M1 ridden by Johann Zarco, just 35 thousandths behind Pedrosa’s Honda: “It was very complicated – the Frenchman admitted – I also had a bike ready with slicks, but I preferred going out with the rain tyres. To be honest, I don’t know if I would have been able to do what Jack did.” In any case, the Frenchman’s Yamaha proved to be the best one in qualifying, whereas Maverick Viñales (+1,891) and Valentino Rossi (+2,173) did a session to forget, respectively ninth and eleventh with Cal Crutchlow between them. Both of the Yamaha riders confirmed the difficulties in mixed conditions that they had already demonstrated during FP4.
Going back to the high end of the standings, it was a brilliant ride by Tito Rabat (+0.528) on his Ducati after surprising yesterday already, going straight through to Q2. He will be in the first spot of the second row, followed by the Suzuki ridden by Alex Rins (+0.598). speaking of Ducati, Andrea Dovizioso (+1.094) had to settle for eighth place behind Aleix Espargaró’s Aprilia (+0.692). The Spaniard was fastest in Q1, snatching the spot from the Italian by the skin of his teeth.
Unable to go through to the decisive session, on the other hand what Jorge Lorenzo, who will have to start from the 14th spot on the grid behind Karel Abraham too. Danilo Petrucci suffered the same fate, usually a specialist in the wet, but only 18th today. Besting him were Redding, Pol Espargaró and the rookie, Simeon.
Speaking of rookies, it was the last row with the 22nd best time for Franco Morbidelli, who was only able to beat out Syharin and Nakagami, whereas Bautista, Luthi and Smith will be on the row ahead of him..
THE TIMES
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