Declaring it perhaps the “best lap of my life”, Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo shattered the Misano track record earlier today to take a convincing pole position for tomorrow’s race. His teammate Valentino Rossi will line up second, with last week’s race winner Maverick Viñales (Suzuki) third. Michelin has some new tires this weekend, and Lorenzo is not the only rider impressed with them. Stay tuned for a report on tomorrow’s race, and check out Q2 results below.
| Pos. | Num. | Rider | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time | Gap 1st/Prev. |
| 1 | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 289.8 | 1’31.868 | |
| 2 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 289.2 | 1’32.216 | 0.348 / 0.348 |
| 3 | 25 | Maverick VIÑALES | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 291.3 | 1’32.381 | 0.513 / 0.165 |
| 4 | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 286.7 | 1’32.443 | 0.575 / 0.062 |
| 5 | 51 | Michele PIRRO | Ducati Team | Ducati | 292.0 | 1’32.467 | 0.599 / 0.024 |
| 6 | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | Ducati Team | Ducati | 294.3 | 1’32.677 | 0.809 / 0.210 |
| 7 | 35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | LCR Honda | Honda | 286.9 | 1’32.743 | 0.875 / 0.066 |
| 8 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 290.8 | 1’32.859 | 0.991 / 0.116 |
| 9 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 285.4 | 1’32.918 | 1.050 / 0.059 |
| 10 | 44 | Pol ESPARGARO | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 287.3 | 1’33.002 | 1.134 / 0.084 |
| 11 | 8 | Hector BARBERA | Avintia Racing | Ducati | 288.3 | 1’33.301 | 1.433 / 0.299 |
| 12 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 287.0 | 1’33.929 | 2.061 / 0.628 |
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In the meanwhile… without so much fanfare… MV does a 3rd… ahead of several of the “original and true” aliens.
MV on the Yamaha it’s going to be the deal.
According to http://forecast.io/#/f/43.9800,12.6950/1473544800 there is no chance or rain tomorrow… so probably the “faith and course of the track spirit” has been decided.
re: “Marquez went so slow as to miss the opportunity to try for another fast lap. Quite hilarious”
Mickey points at Marcus…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX7wtNOkuHo
If you subscribe, watch the on-board video of Lorenzo’s pole lap. The sole camera is the one aimed at Lorenzo’s front side. Only about 10-15% of your view is the track, the rest filled w/JL and his bike. With so little track/bike reference it’s difficult to perceive speed.
If anyone’s body control was ever smoother and more natural (especially while setting a new lap record), I’ve never seen it. No better way to remind us who is the reigning MotoGP Champion.
Congrats, JL.
It’s funny to hear him say how out of shape he got, how he took chances, and how the bike was moving around on him, when all we see is smooth, smooth, smooth. Will the Duck be the same for him?
Got to watch it this morning. When riders were going out for their second try on new tires Marquez and Lorenzo came out side by side. Lorenzo kept telling Marquez to go ahead, Marquez refused and Lorenzo kept hand gesturing for Marquez to get going. Finally Marquez gave up and took off, but circled the track really slowly. In fact Marquez went so slow as to miss the opportunity to try for another fast lap. Quite hilarious to watch.
In the meantime Lorenzo put his head down, looked like the Lorenzo of old with perfect lines and no bobbles and sailed to a new course record.
Typical of Marquez and I’m glad it backfired on him.
re: “Marquez went so slow as to miss the opportunity to try for another fast lap. Quite hilarious”
Mickey points at Marcus…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX7wtNOkuHo