Marc Marquez Bounces Back for Pole at Silverstone
Larry Lawrence | August 30, 2014
Marc Marquez looks ready to bounce back after his first loss of the season. On Saturday at the famous Silverstone circuit, Marquez raced his factory Repsol Honda to the pole for Sunday’s British Motorcycle Grand Prix, turning a 2:00.829 with just 30 seconds remaining in the Q2 session to earn his 10th pole of the season at round 12 of the 18-race MotoGP Championship. Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso and Movistar Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo round out the front-row starters.
Qualifying got started with the GO&FUN Honda Gresini Honda pair of Scott Redding and Alvaro Bautista teaming up to come through from Q1 to make it into Q2.
With slate gray clouds overhead riders wasted no time and went out from the start of Q2 to try to get in a fast time early. It was Ducati’s Dovizioso with a 2:01.595 who set the time to beat on the first flying lap. The first half of Q2 ended with Repsol Honda’s Marquez going to the top of the charts with a 2:01.259.
With just less than a minute to go Lorenzo went to the top with a 2:01.175, but P1 would last only about 30 seconds for Lorenzo because it was Marquez once again dropping the hammer and being the first rider into the two-minute-flat bracket with a 2:00.829 with 30 seconds remaining in the session.
That time would hold. Marquez would be the only rider to break into the two-minute flats. His time was 0.311 faster than second place Dovizioso. Lorenzo rounded out the front row, 0.346 second behind Marquez’ pole time.
Andrea Iannone was on a very good lap when he crashed the Pramac Racing Ducati late in the session. He appeared to be unhurt and would end up 10th.
Marquez seems in form and eager to get another winning streak started after finishing fourth in the last round in the Czech Republic.
“This weekend everything goes well,” said Marquez, who earned his 19th pole in the premier GP class. “I feel so good with the bike and with the circuit. It’s bumpy, but I like it. This morning I had a small crash. I tried to push a little bit more in slow corner, but now for tomorrow the rhythm is so good and that is most important. In qualifying I pushed one lap and I feel good and saw that the lap time was already fast and I start to push more. Tomorrow I wish for a good day, a sunny day and I’ll try to fight for the victory.”
The MotoGP will be shown live from Silverstone at 8:00am Eastern on Fox Sports 1.
MotoGP Qualifying for the British GP from Silverstone – Aug. 30, 2014
1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 2m 0.829s [Lap 6/7] 323km/h (Top Speed)
2. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 2m 1.140s +0.311s [5/5] 326km/h
3. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 2m 1.175s +0.346s [6/7] 320km/h
4. Aleix Espargaro ESP NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 2m 1.448s +0.619s [5/6] 315km/h
5. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 2m 1.464s +0.635s [6/7] 323km/h
6. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 2m 1.550s +0.721s [7/7] 323km/h
7. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 2m 1.593s +0.764s [6/7] 322km/h
8. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 2m 1.747s +0.918s [6/7] 322km/h
9. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 2m 1.973s +1.144s [7/7] 325km/h
10. Andrea Iannone ITA Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 2m 2.064s +1.235s [2/5] 321km/h
11. Scott Redding GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RCV1000R) 2m 2.116s +1.287s [2/7] 310km/h
12. Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V) 2m 3.618s +2.789s [5/5] 320km/h
13. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 2m 3.046s
14. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (RCV1000R) 2m 3.206s
15. Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 2m 3.407s
16. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 2m 3.563s
17. Alex De Angelis RSM NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 2m 3.686s
18. Leon Camier GBR Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 2m 3.696s
19. Danilo Petrucci ITA IodaRacing Project (ART) 2m 4.755s
20. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 2m 4.836s
21. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Avintia) 2m 4.957s
22. Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing (Avintia) 2m 5.451s
23. Broc Parkes AUS Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 2m 6.106s
Larry Lawrence | Archives Editor
In addition to writing our Archives section on a weekly basis, Lawrence is another who is capable of covering any event we throw his way.
