Photography by Gold & Goose
Marc Marquez added another amazing chapter to his already record-setting resume in MotoGP qualifying Saturday with a thrilling run to the pole at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
In a drama-filled qualifying session, Marquez’s factory Repsol Honda came to a stop at the end of the front straight with three minutes to go. He leaned his bike against the inside of the retaining wall, leaped over the wall and ran back to his pits to grab his backup bike for a last-ditch effort. On his one and only chance Marquez put it all the line, pushing to the limits and nearly losing it late in the lap, but came through to nail down the pole with a record-setting time of 2:02.135.
It was the most riveting qualifying session in recent memory.
Sharing the front row for Sunday’s Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas will be Andrea Dovizioso, who clocked a 2:02.474 on his factory Ducati. Rounding out row one will be Jorge Lorenzo, who fought off a bout of bronchitis, to push his factory Yamaha to a time of 2:02.540.
Marquez led the early minutes of the session with Cal Crutchlow taking the top spot briefly. Lorenzo then went to the top of the charts with just over 10 minutes to go. Then with just under 10 remaining, in rapid succession it was Pol Espargaro, Rossi and Marquez going to P1 within seconds with the defending champ setting the best time of the weekend at that point with a 2:02.803.
With about four minutes to go all the riders came out for the final push to try to better their times.
Crutchlow came to the front with a new lap record with just over two minutes to go, but then Lorenzo came to number one and then Dovizioso with just 15 seconds to go.
That’s when Marquez pulled a rabbit out of his hat. On his pole lap he had a major moment in turn 10 and slid the bike hard and appeared to run just a bit wide on the exit, but he had enough in hand to hold on to the pole.
It marked the 23rd MotoGP pole for Marquez and his third straight at CoTA.
“Before qualifying practice more or less everything was under control, everything was ready,” Marquez explained. “When I pass on the straight I saw some warning (indicator) and then I decided to stop the bike, because you never know. With the second bike the setup was not perfect, but I did 100 percent, also had a big moment. I’m really happy for this pole because we know that tomorrow will be a tricky race for the weather.”
Dovizioso qualified on the front row again, but the question is can the Ducati maintain the pace that Marquez and the Honda set? Dovi said he thinks it’s possible.
“We worked very well in practice and my feeling improved with the bike,” Dovizioso said. “I was able to push very hard in qualifying. The lap time is really good, I’m really happy. Marc is a little bit far and I saw his lap, I was behind him. We have to work something more to have that speed, but I’m really happy. The race will be difficult, it is very hard this track.”
Lorenzo recovered from a slow start to the weekend on Friday and battling illness to come through with his usual composure.
“The bronchitis is in my body, so it’s difficult to fight with the bike,” Lorenzo said. “But to make one lap, it’s OK. I tried to make the best lap time possible. I’m very satisfied with the lap time and with the position. It’s going to be hard in a dry race, in a wet race too, but it would be less physical. To be honest I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow. It’s going to be important to save the front tire because in some laps it gets very used. But nayway I’m satisfied with the position, with the pace – let’s see what happens tomorrow.”
Points leader Valentino Rossi qualified fourth and will head up the second row alongside Brits Cal Crutchlow and Scott Redding.
American Nicky Hayden will start a disappointing 22nd on his Aspar Honda.
MotoGP qualifying from Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, April 11, 2015
1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 2m 2.135s [Lap 6/6] 343km/h (Top Speed)
2. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15) 2m 2.474s +0.339s [5/6] 339km/h
3. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 2m 2.540s +0.405s [6/7] 334km/h
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 2m 2.573s +0.438s [6/7] 336km/h
5. Cal Crutchlow GBR CWM LCR Honda (RC213V) 2m 2.613s +0.478s [5/6] 337km/h
6. Scott Redding GBR Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 2m 2.674s +0.539s [6/7] 335km/h
7. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15) 2m 2.792s +0.657s [5/7] 338km/h
8. Aleix Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 2m 2.869s +0.734s [5/6] 325km/h
9. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 2m 3.161s +1.026s [7/7] 338km/h
10. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 2m 3.440s +1.305s [4/6] 338km/h
11. Danilo Petrucci ITA Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.1) 2m 3.741s +1.606s [6/6] 334km/h
12. Maverick Viñales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 2m 3.754s +1.619s [5/6] 328km/h
13. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14 Open) 2m 03.926s 340km/h
14. Stefan Bradl GER Athina Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 2m 04.275s 331km/h
15. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 2m 04.313s 339km/h
16. Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14 Open) 2m 04.392s 337km/h
17. Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar (RC213V-RS) 2m 04.875s 332km/h
18. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 2m 05.086s 340km/h
19. Jack Miller AUS CWM LCR Honda (RC213V-RS) 2m 05.156s 333km/h
20. Loris Baz FRA Athina Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 2m 05.214s 325km/h
21. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (RC213V-RS) 2m 05.261s 331km/h
22. Nicky Hayden USA Aspar (RC213V-RS) 2m 05.569s 327km/h
23. Alvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 2m 05.595s 330km/h
24. Alex De Angelis RSM Octo IodaRacing (ART) 2m 06.145s 322km/h
25. Marco Melandri ITA Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 2m 07.267s 328km/h
