MotoGP: Andrea Iannone Scores MotoGP Pole in Austria

Photo by Gold & Goose

Andrea Iannone overcame a painful rib injury to put his Ducati on pole position Saturday for the Austrian Grand Prix. Iannone A great qualifying crowd turned out for a sun-drenched day at Austria’s picturesque Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. Austria is hosting a motorcycle grand prix event for the first time since 1997.

Iannone, who recently injured his ribs in a motocross training accident, took the pole in the dramatic closing moments of the Q2 session as he battled with Ducati teammate Andrea Dovizioso and Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi.

MotoGP is back in Spielberg on the track formerly known as the A1-Ring. The 10-turn, 2.683-mile circuit has favored the hard acceleration and top speed of the Ducatis all weekend, but on Saturday the factory Yamahas discovered newfound pace. Defending world champ Jorge Lorenzo held P1 at one point and finished the session fourth.

Current World Championship leader Marc Marquez dislocated his left shoulder in a morning practice crash, but he was declared fit and was able to participate in qualifying and put his Honda on the second row.

Also notable was the fact that Eugene Laverty made it into Q2 for the first time in his career.

Dovizioso set the mark to beat early with a 1:23.668 on his factory Ducati. Nine minutes in Lorenzo and Iannone (1:23.623), running together, both shot to the top of the charts. Marquez meanwhile spectacularly saved a front in tuck with his elbow. The Honda rider ran wide, but was quickly back on the gas.

The action at the top continued hot and heavy with Dovi coming back to record a 1:23.598 with just over six minutes to go to take P1.

Lorenzo jumped to P1 with a 1:23.361 with a minute-and-a-half to go. After the checkered flag flew Dovi found enough speed to go to the top with a 1:23.298, but it wasn’t’ over as both Rossi and Iannone beating the time at the last possible moment, with Iannone winning the pole.

“The injury today I think is a little bit better,” Iannone said of his painful ribs. “The Mobile Clinica worked very well for me. The recovery is not very fast. But in a very short time it has improved a lot the pain, but for sure tomorrow for 28 laps it will be very difficult. But at the moment I don’t want to think a lot on my injury because is a negative point, no? Today we have a lot of positive points and we start from pole position. This is my second pole position in MotoGP and it’s a very good moment for us. From the test we’ve gone very, very good at this track, so thanks to my team, thanks to Ducati and for all the people who support me.”

Iannone’s previous MotoGP pole came at Mugello in 2015.

The MotoGP race from Austria begins at 8:00 am Eastern and can be watched live on beIN Sports or online at MotoGP.com

NEROGIARDINI MOTORRAD GRAND PRIX VON ÖSTERREICH MotoGP Qualifying 2016 Spielberg, Saturday, August 13, 2016