News 18 Oct 2014

Rabat tops Moto2 with new qualifying record

Series regular West leads local trio in 25th position.

Source: MotoGP.

Source: MotoGP.

In the Moto2 race at the Tissot Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, Tito Rabat will get away from the front of the grid as he looks to win the title, followed by Johann Zarco and Mika Kallio on row one.

Rabat (Marc VDS Racing Team) continued his domination at Phillip Island, producing a recording-breaking lap of 1m32.470s to secure pole position ahead of Zarco (AirAsia Caterham) by just 0.015s.

Rabat’s championship rival Kallio (Marc VDS Racing Team) completed the front row and was 0.228s behind his teammate.

The top five were split by a margin of just 0.287s, both Maverick Viñales (Paginas Amarillas HP 40) and Thomas Luthi (Interwetten Sitag) putting in strong lap times in fourth and fifth respectively. Sandro Cortese (Dynavolt Intact GP) completes row two.

Sam Lowes (Speed Up), Jordi Torres (Mapfre Aspar Team) and Xavier Simeon (Federal Oil Gresini) will all line up on row three. Marcel Schrotter (Tech 3) completed a top 10 with all the riders qualifying within half a second of pole.

Queensland veteran Anthony West rode his QMMF Speed Up to 25th on the grid, Aiden Wagner (Marc VDS Racing Team) will debut in 31st and fellow wildcard Max Croker (Tasca Racing) narrowly made the cut to round out the field in 34th.

Lowes and Thitipong Warokorn (APH PTT The Pizza SAG) collided at turn four as qualifying drew to a close. Both riders were unhurt.

2014 MotoGP World Championship
Round 16 – Phillip Island, VIC

Moto2 qualifying results:
1. Esteve RABAT 1m32.470
2. Johann ZARCO 1m32.485
3. Mika KALLIO 1m32.698
4. Maverick VIÑALES 1m32.712
5. Thomas LUTHI 1m32.757
6. Sandro CORTESE 1m32.824
7. Sam LOWES 1m32.938
8. Jordi TORRES 1m32.941
9. Xavier SIMEON 1m32.960
10. Marcel SCHROTTER 1m32.964
25. Anthony WEST (AUS) 1m34.000
31. Aiden WAGNER (AUS) 1m35.172
34. Max CROKER (AUS) 1m38.619

Click here for detailed results

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