News 13 Aug 2017

Marquez sprints to Red Bull Ring MotoGP pole position

Pasini leads the way in Moto2 as Rodrigo sets Moto3 benchmark.

Source: Supplied.

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) blasted out the blocks to pole position at the NeroGiardini Motorrad Grand Prix of Austria, carrying forward his earlier pace on Saturday to stake a claim on victory at the Red Bull Ring.

Expected key front-runners Ducati were in close company, however, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) taking second on his final lap and teammate Jorge Lorenzo completing the front row.

Despite fears about the weather, there was no rain on Saturday and good conditions for heading round the track with the highest average speed of the year and some of the most beautiful scenery – meaning there was plenty of track time to make use of throughout the day as the grid get ready for 28 laps on Sunday.

Staring down those 28 laps from the head of the second row is Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), as he hopes to take an important podium finish for the championship fight.

The rider from Roses lines up ahead of a late charge from Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) to take fifth after the Italian moved through from Q1, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completing the second row as the French rookie looks to get back in the fight at the front.

Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) moved back up the order after a tough Friday to take seventh, just 0.003s ahead of Q1 graduate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) on a high-profile row three. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), after having a fast lap disallowed for exceeding track limits, completes that third row.

Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone, winner of his first ever premier class race at the Red Bull Ring last season, is P10 on the grid after finding some pace on Saturday morning and bouncing back from a mechanical problem, with Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) and Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) completing the top 12 after Q2.

Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) is 13th on the grid, ahead of Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) and Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing), who locks out the fastest 15. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was impressive once again, taking P16 at their first ever home race.

Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Jack Miller will target a points scoring finish in the Austrian Grand Prix starting from 19th position.

Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) starts Moto2 from pole position, as the veteran Italian beat compatriot Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) by one thousandth of a second in qualifying, with Alex Marquez joining his teammate on a late charge to take P3. Remy Gardner (Tech3 Racing) will line up out of P25.

Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Racing) put in another stunner in Moto3 qualifying for the Austrian GP, taking his second-ever pole just a week after his first at Brno. The RBA BOE Racing Team had even more to celebrate as teammate Juanfran Guevara was second quickest, as completing the front row is Estrella Galicia 0,0 rider Aron Canet.

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