Larry Lawrence | May 7, 2016
Gold & Goose Photo
Jorge Lorenzo turned the fastest motorcycle lap ever at Le Mans and in doing so the Yamaha ace earned the pole for Sunday’s Monster Energy Grand Prix de France. Joining Lorenzo on the front row is Marc Marquez and Andrea Iannone.
For Lorenzo it marked his first ever pole at Le Mans and the 37th-career MotoGP pole.
“I’m very happy with the record for this track and this pole position,” Lorenzo said. “Because we worked very hard to improve all the small details in all the corners. So finally the bike was able to keep a constant pace and also to really make very fast lap times. Tomorrow, as always, will be a long race. The important thing is to keep a constant pace, don’t give up so much tire and be ready in the last laps.”
Lorenzo was quick from the start of the final qualifying session. His first flying lap in Q2 was the fastest lap of the weekend, a 1:32.236.
Dani Pedrosa crashed his Repsol Honda in the first half of the session at the chicane turn with several following riders forced to take evasive maneuvers to miss the downed bike and rider.
Iannone crashed on the out lap, hardly even up to speed during his final segment, and was immediately up and sprinting back to his pit. Iannone later said his bike leaked cooling fluid onto his rear tire causing the fall.
Just has the checkered flag flew Marquez jumped from seventh to second with a strong lap on his factory Honda.
Seconds later Lorenzo broke into the 1:31 bracket, the first rider ever to accomplish that on the Bugatti Circuit, with a 1:31.975.
Danilo Petrucci fell on his final lap, stomping away from the bike in anger.
The second row will be headed by Pol Espargaro with Andrea Dovizioso and Bradley Smith.
For Valentino Rossi his seventh-place starting position was his worst of the season.
MotoGP Qualifying for the Monster Energy Grand Prix de France, May 7, 2016
1 |
99 |
Jorge LORENZO |
SPA |
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP |
Yamaha |
313.3 |
1’31.975 |
|
2 |
93 |
Marc MARQUEZ |
SPA |
Repsol Honda Team |
Honda |
306.0 |
1’32.416 |
0.441 / 0.441 |
3 |
29 |
Andrea IANNONE |
ITA |
Ducati Team |
Ducati |
314.0 |
1’32.469 |
0.494 / 0.053 |
4 |
44 |
Pol ESPARGARO |
SPA |
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 |
Yamaha |
312.8 |
1’32.502 |
0.527 / 0.033 |
5 |
4 |
Andrea DOVIZIOSO |
ITA |
Ducati Team |
Ducati |
313.3 |
1’32.587 |
0.612 / 0.085 |
6 |
38 |
Bradley SMITH |
GBR |
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 |
Yamaha |
309.6 |
1’32.820 |
0.845 / 0.233 |
7 |
46 |
Valentino ROSSI |
ITA |
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP |
Yamaha |
311.0 |
1’32.829 |
0.854 / 0.009 |
8 |
25 |
Maverick VIÑALES |
SPA |
Team SUZUKI ECSTAR |
Suzuki |
307.8 |
1’32.933 |
0.958 / 0.104 |
9 |
35 |
Cal CRUTCHLOW |
GBR |
LCR Honda |
Honda |
308.0 |
1’32.963 |
0.988 / 0.030 |
10 |
9 |
Danilo PETRUCCI |
ITA |
OCTO Pramac Yakhnich |
Ducati |
309.8 |
1’33.102 |
1.127 / 0.139 |
11 |
26 |
Dani PEDROSA |
SPA |
Repsol Honda Team |
Honda |
311.3 |
1’33.109 |
1.134 / 0.007 |
12 |
41 |
Aleix ESPARGARO |
SPA |
Team SUZUKI ECSTAR |
Suzuki |
305.8 |
1’33.115 |
1.140 / 0.006 |
13 |
8 |
Hector BARBERA |
SPA |
Avintia Racing |
Ducati |
311.5 |
1’33.291 |
0.152 / 0.092 |
14 |
45 |
Scott REDDING |
GBR |
OCTO Pramac Yakhnich |
Ducati |
310.0 |
1’33.310 |
0.171 / 0.019 |
15 |
68 |
Yonny HERNANDEZ |
COL |
Aspar Team MotoGP |
Ducati |
303.8 |
1’33.360 |
0.221 / 0.050 |
16 |
50 |
Eugene LAVERTY |
IRL |
Aspar Team MotoGP |
Ducati |
310.8 |
1’33.452 |
0.313 / 0.092 |
17 |
6 |
Stefan BRADL |
GER |
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini |
Aprilia |
300.5 |
1’34.003 |
0.864 / 0.551 |
18 |
43 |
Jack MILLER |
AUS |
Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS |
Honda |
306.5 |
1’34.049 |
0.910 / 0.046 |
19 |
19 |
Alvaro BAUTISTA |
SPA |
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini |
Aprilia |
304.9 |
1’34.333 |
1.194 / 0.284 |
20 |
53 |
Tito RABAT |
SPA |
Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS |
Honda |
299.3 |
1’34.348 |
1.209 / 0.015 |
21 |
76 |
Loris BAZ |
FRA |
Avintia Racing |
Ducati |
302.5 |
1’34.455 |
1.316 / 0.107 |