Marquez withdraws – Quartararo on pole

Fabio Quartararo
Fabio Quartararo

Fabio Quartararo has been awarded his second MotoGP pole position when Maverick Vinales’s provisional session-topping time was disallowed for a track limits infraction.

Vinales looked to have pipped his Yamaha counterpart with a charging 1mm 36.907secs lap late on but a ragged exit at Turn 7 saw him ride over the green rumble strip, with stewards immediately canceling the lap and promoting Quartararo.

The Repsol Honda Team forged ahead in Andalucia, the incredible efforts of Marc and Alex Marquez and their teams unfortunately unrewarded as Alex aims for a spirited comeback on Sunday.

All eyes were on the Repsol Honda Team garage as the second day of the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucía began, Marc Marquez making an incredible return to the circuit just four days after surgery on a broken right humerus. The Repsol Honda Team continued their work as normal, building on the data and learning of the last race and adapting as the conditions developed.

Note scars on Marquez's broken arm
Note scars on Marquez's broken arm

For Marc Marquez the day was about adapting and understanding the situation, each lap giving himself and his team more information about how his body was reacting to the demands of a MotoGP machine. Marc alongside HRC and the Repsol Honda Team elected to end his participation in the Andalucia GP after Free Practice 4 to avoid any further risks. This is the first Grand Prix Marc has missed since the 2011 Valencia GP while riding in the Moto2 class. His aim is to now return for the Czech GP on August 09.

It was a day of contrasts for Alex Marquez who continued to improve each time he left the pits on his Repsol Honda RC213V in FP3 and FP4. The day started with a solid Free Practice 3 session, making another step towards the top ten before an impressive run in Free Practice 4 where the rookie consistently ran inside the top ten. Unfortunately, this progress would go unrewarded in a difficult Q1 session which ended with a fall at Turn 5. Alex will start from 21st on the grid.

Marc Marquez

“It has been a difficult week and a lot has happened since last Sunday when certainly I would not have said ‘I will try to race next week’. But when you have a passion for something and you devote yourself to achieving something, you have to at least try so your conscience is calm. After the operation I saw I had mobility in the elbow and good strength and I was able to do some push-ups, of course there was pain there but it was manageable. I then spoke with Honda about all of the options and we agreed to try on Saturday, to see what was possible at least. Throughout I have listened to the doctors and my body, in the morning today I was feeling good and we were happy with our progress. But then when it came time to do the Time Attack, when it is less about being consistent and more about being aggressive, the arm was without strength. I don’t know if it was from the swelling or from the heat but I knew I needed to listen to my body. Throughout this process I have spoken with my Repsol Honda Team and with HRC and I want to say thank you to them for always respecting my decisions. I also want to thank the doctors, physios and those close to me for helping me to try and chase this dream. Sadly, we cannot race tomorrow but I will continue to do everything I can to be back on track in Brno and to fight for the championship."

Qualifying Results

POS RIDER NAT TEAM (Bike) TIME/GAP
1 Fabio Quartararo FRA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) 1'37.007s
2 Maverick Vinales SPA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.095s
3 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Pramac Ducati (GP20) +0.169s
4 Valentino Rossi ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.335s
5 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) +0.337s
6 Franco Morbidelli ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.405s
7 Jack Miller AUS Pramac Ducati (GP20) +0.416s
8 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +0.457s
9 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16)* +0.589s
10 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.593s
11 Danilo Petrucci ITA Ducati Team (GP20) +0.899s
12 Pol Espargaro SPA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +3.270s
Q1 Times
13 Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 1'37.644s
14 Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (GP20) 1'37.656s
15 Johann Zarco FRA Reale Avintia (GP19) 1'37.761s
16 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1'37.885s
17 Iker Lecuona SPA Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16)* 1'38.206s
18 Tito Rabat SPA Reale Avintia (GP19) 1'38.211s
19 Bradley Smith GBR Aprilia Test Rider (RS-GP) 1'38.31s
20 Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1'38.601s
21 Alex Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V)* 1'38.648s
22 Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) No Time

* Rookie.