Lorenzo Clinches First Pole Position in Close Qatar Qualifying
"It's not bad to have this record for most pole positions on the first weekend of the championship. Today it has been quite difficult to keep calm and try not to crash, because sometimes you have a good feeling with one rear tyre and you put in another and you have a different feeling. This is what happened on my second try, I almost crashed on the first lap, but luckily on my first try, my first lap was enough to keep the pole position. I expected to be a little bit faster and that everyone would come closer to the 1'54.0s, but finally this 1'54.5s was enough to be on pole."
An incredibly close first QP of the 2016 season saw Marc Marquez qualify on the front row with the field’s second best lap time at 1m54.634.
Results
Pos. |
Rider |
Num |
Nation |
Team |
Constructor |
Time/Gap |
1 |
Lorenzo Jorge |
99 |
SPA |
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP |
Yamaha |
1'54.543 |
2 |
Marquez Marc |
93 |
SPA |
Repsol Honda Team |
Honda |
1'54.634 |
3 |
Vinales Maverick |
25 |
SPA |
Team Suzuki Ecstar |
Suzuki |
1'54.638 |
4 |
Iannone Andrea |
29 |
ITA |
Ducati Team |
Ducati |
1'54.693 |
5 |
Rossi Valentino |
46 |
ITA |
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP |
Yamaha |
1'54.815 |
6 |
Dovizioso Andrea |
4 |
ITA |
Ducati Team |
Ducati |
1'54.963 |
7 |
Pedrosa Dani |
26 |
SPA |
Repsol Honda Team |
Honda |
1'55.078 |
8 |
Barbera Hector |
8 |
SPA |
Avintia Racing |
Ducati |
1'55.165 |
9 |
Espargaro Pol |
44 |
SPA |
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 |
Yamaha |
1'55.302 |
10 |
Crutchlow Cal |
35 |
GBR |
LCR Honda |
Honda |
1'55.352 |
11 |
Smith Bradley |
38 |
GBR |
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 |
Yamaha |
1'55.414 |
12 |
Redding Scott |
45 |
GBR |
Octo Pramac Racing |
Ducati |
1'55.508 |
13 |
Hernandez Yonny |
68 |
COL |
Aspar MotoGP Team |
Ducati |
1'56.157 |
14 |
Laverty Eugene |
50 |
IRE |
Aspar MotoGP Team |
Ducati |
1'56.186 |
15 |
Espargaro Aleix |
41 |
SPA |
Team Suzuki Ecstar |
Suzuki |
1'56.238 |
16 |
Baz Loris |
76 |
FRA |
Avintia Racing |
Ducati |
1'56.375 |
17 |
Bautista Alvaro |
19 |
SPA |
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini |
Aprilia |
1'56.595 |
18 |
Miller Jack |
43 |
AUS |
Marc VDS Racing Team |
Honda |
1'56.620 |
19 |
Rabat Tito |
53 |
SPA |
Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS |
Honda |
1'57.108 |
20 |
Bradl Stefan |
6 |
GER |
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini |
Aprilia |
1'57.216 |