Rookie takes pole for Qatar 2 MotoGP in dusty conditions

2021 MotoGP Round Two

A windy day in Doha, Q1 saw some big names fighting to move through, including – once again – reigning MotoGP World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). But Mir got the job done and with a more clinical show of speed this time around, topping the session to head through alongside Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). And so, the time to fight it out for pole was nigh.

As Q2 began, it was an  unfamiliar name making his presence felt. Jorge Martin put in a 1:53.892 straight out the traps to impress early, before Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) briefly deposed him. Shadowing Mir, however, Martin hit back quick with a 1:53.597 as Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) slotted himself into P2, just 0.017s behind Martin’s early benchmark.

After the first couple of flying laps, Martin, Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was the provisional front row, with Morbidelli and the Ducati Lenovo Team duo of Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller on the second row with just over five minutes remaining. World Championship leader and Qatar GP winner Viñales was a whole nine tenths off in P9 – just behind Mir, who was down in P8. But soon the field rumbled back out for their second runs, and it was Viñales first on a mission.

Despite a couple of moments for the number 12, he shot from P9 to P1 with under two minutes to go and it was clear there was more in the locker. Sure enough, Viñales was over a quarter of a second up on his next flying lap. He then nailed Sector 2, nailed Sector 3 and taking the chequered flag, the Qatar GP winner extended his advantage to 0.330s.

Attention then turned to Martin, however, as the rookie was up by 0.015s in Sector 2. It was his final shot at it too, and he seemed the last rider on the roll needed to depose Viñales. In the final sector though, Zarco suddenly gained over two tenths to snatch provisional pole by an absolute whisker – 0.004s – but Martin wasn’t done yet. Out on his own without a tow, in classic Martin style, the new kid on the MotoGP block stormed across the line and did it. A tenth and a half clear, it was provisional pole with only Miller and Quartararo in the hunt. Could either spoil the party? Miller had a big moment at turn three so not quite. Firing their way to the chequered flag, neither worried the front row although both improved their times to grab P4 and P5 respectively.

A little history is therefore made in Doha as the ‘Martinator’ shows us how it’s done, with Zarco making it Saturday Night Fever for Pramac Racing in a 1-2 for the team. Viñales once again lines up P3 at Losail, and he’ll be looking to repeat his season opening feat – just maybe this time without the Ducati armada swamping everyone at the start.

Spearheading Row 2 is Miller, who will have wanted more but already proved how quickly he can make up that ground last week. The Australian also suffered a wobble in Q2, so a Row 2 start is a job well done. Quartararo’s fifth place was less than the Frenchman would have expected, but it’s another solid session for the number 20 to get back in the fight at the front. Sixth was another rider who would have wanted a little more after taking pole last week: Pecco Bagnaia. He’ll want to get the most from Ducati’s stellar starts and move up from there.

Leading the third row is Aleix Espargaro after another fantastic performance. With the Yamahas and Ducatis looking strong in Qatar, starting P7 – one place higher than last week – is yet another job well done for the Noale factory. Joining the Aprilia rider on Row 3, meanwhile, are both Team Suzuki Ecstar riders: Alex Rins sits 0.040s ahead of teammate Mir as the GSX-RR duo finish 0.6s shy from pole position. Judging by their progress last weekend on race day, there’s plenty to come from the Hamamatsu factory.

Rounding out the top 10 is Morbidelli, the Italian just 0.009s from the third row, with leading Honda rider Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team) and fastest KTM Oliveira completing the Q2 graduates in P11 and P12 respectively.

So where’s Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT)? P21 after one of the Doctor’s worst days at the office, so he’ll be looking for a lot more on Sunday.

MotoGP Rider Quotes Qualifying

Jorge Martin – P1

“It’s difficult to describe my feelings. On the first run I was behind Mir and I felt super confident, I was catching him so fast and I thought, ‘ok I need to be behind a faster bike’. I was hoping to be behind Pecco but he wasn’t pushing a lot so I thought, ‘ok it’s my time to push, time to demonstrate who I am’. And for sure I didn’t expect to get pole! I expected to be top four, top five, and when I finished the lap and I was up there in first.. it’s unbelievable. I want to thank my family and my team, they’re working great and we’re a family in in the box after just a month. This is so great! Tomorrow is another day to learn, because for sure it’s not my day to win, but if we can fight for the top six it would be great and I’d be super happy.”

Maverick Vinales – P3

“The first run was very hard. I was sliding a lot and nearly crashed two or three times. I was a little bit disappointed, because I didn‘t understand why. But as soon as I started my second run, I had amazing grip again, so then I understood that the grip level of the second tyre was much higher. I could profit from this and I was quite happy because I think it‘s very important to be on the front row. Tomorrow we are going to push. I‘m hoping for a perfect start and then we will try to get into a good rhythm. We‘ll work a bit tonight to see where I can improve.”

Jack Miller – P4

“Unfortunately, the track conditions weren’t ideal this evening, and I wasn’t able to take full advantage of my flying lap. Despite that, I’m satisfied with the fourth place in qualifying: last week in the race, I made a good start and recovered several positions immediately, so I think I can repeat that tomorrow. It will be an unpredictable race: it will be crucial to stay calm in the early stages to understand how to tackle the rest of the competition. I have my strategy, and tomorrow we will see if it works”.

Fabio Quartararo – P5

“I‘m happy with second row. We made a good step with riding in FP4 today. But we also made a gearbox change and that changed my braking references quite a lot. That didn‘t help for Q2, I was braking too early. But still, I am happy. I think we have great potential for tomorrow. I feel like I can fight for the win. We did only one run in FP4. I had a great pace, and in the race you always have a bit more.”

Francesco Bagnaia – P6

“Unfortunately, this evening, I wasn’t able to take full advantage of the soft tyre, but I’m still pretty happy with the sixth place in qualifying. In FP4, with used tyres, I was able to do several laps with a good pace, and in the last couple of days, I have also been working a lot on my riding style to try to adjust it and be more competitive in the second half of the race. I think I have all the potential to do another good race tomorrow.”

Aleix Espargaro – P7

“I am generally pleased with the way we worked this weekend. In spite of a rather different track from last week, with less grip, I feel, if it’s possible, even more comfortable astride the RS-GP. I don’t know what to expect from the race, but we’ll be in the mix. Our pace has been consistently in line with the leading group. The only slightly disappointing thing is not having done better in qualifying. I exploited the first tyre well, but with the second, I made a few mistakes and it wasn’t the lap I wanted.”

Alex Rins – P8

“Today was a good day, but a bit difficult to find a fast lap because the conditions were very bad with so much sand, so it was hard to improve, but in the end I was still able to get a better grid position than last week with P8. So I think, and I hope, that the race will be even more competitive this time around, and we can have a good battle in the lead group. I’m ready for it.”

Joan Mir – P9

“It has been a positive day and I’m happy with how everything worked out. We managed to graduate from Q1 to Q2 and I improved my lap time on the fresh soft tyres. We still need to work on qualifying; I need to ride in a different way to usual because it doesn’t come naturally to me to push for fast laps, I usually do better doing longer runs of consistent laps. But I’m happy with my grid position, and I was actually close to the second row, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s race.”

Franco Morbidelli – P10

“The feeling has changed quite a lot between one round to the next here and even from one practice to another, but we haven’t made that many changes to the bike. We don’t fully understand what’s going on but we will try to have a good race. In FP4 it looked like we had a decent pace as we were hanging in there in fifth, so if the feeling is similar to that in the race tomorrow then we can try to fight for a good position. It’s really difficult to predict what will happen because as I said, every session the feeling is different, but of course we will give everything we can.”

Stefan Bradl – P11

“Conditions were more difficult compared to what we were expecting, the wind and the sand were very strong today. We suffered a little with this, especially over one lap to move even higher on the grid. Moving to Q2 directly helped a lot, our hard work yesterday paid off a lot today. In the session itself it was harder to make a lap time, this track has always been a challenge but for tomorrow our race pace is looking better. In FP4 we did a long run, and the rhythm was not too bad, we can definitely fight with the others. Let’s see what happens.”

Miguel Oliveira – P12

“I’m happy we made it through to Q2 but today the track was not in the best condition for us and we struggled to find optimum grip. It was really hard to repeat Friday’s lap-time. When I went through to Q2 I tried a different configuration on my second bike which was not ideal and on top of that I had a front tire that gave me vibration on the right side. So, it was a slightly better qualifying but let’s see what happens tomorrow. We need to get to the front as quick and as much as we can and then see what we can manage apart from that.”

Álex Márquez – P14

“We weren’t able to get into Q2 which was a shame because we did good work today, in FP3 we did a good lap with the wind, adapting the bike and my riding style. We weren’t very good in FP4 when I was trying a different set-up, but I think the race will be crazy tomorrow because the weather forecast is like today, so it will be a long race. After such a long time here everybody is used to the conditions and to the rhythm, so I think it will be really close and small details will be really important.”

Pol Espargaro – P15

“I know that tomorrow will be better and that is what is the most frustrating. It’s a bit hard to understand exactly what has happened today. Our first run in Qualifying did not work, I came in and on the second tyre I was able to do more but I lost some tenths with a mistake at the first corner. It’s very frustrating, but tomorrow we go into the race and we will start overtaking and making up ground like last weekend. We need to understand why others have been able to make a big step and we have not been able to.”

Takaaki Nakagami – P16

“It was tricky conditions today in FP3, FP4 and the qualifying session, there were strong winds all day and the track conditions were not the best. We struggled especially with the wind which made it difficult to handle the bike. I’m not happy about where we ended up in the qualifying session and tonight, we need to understand where we can improve for tomorrow. I’ll try my best in the race, try to make a good start and hopefully I can have a consistent race.”

Danilo Petrucci – P17

“Overall, I’m happy about my sensations on the bike, we improved a bit, but we are still not, where we want to be. We found some small refinements today, although I have to say, it’s not as much as I want, because I think our potential is higher. We tried something different with the tyres in FP4 and also something different in terms of electronics. But for sure, we need to improve.  I think I could have been faster on my single lap, but I was completely alone and with this wind, it was quite difficult. Still, I’m happy about the progress. For sure, I’m missing some speed, which could be not easy to manage tomorrow. But we are working on this and try to find some km/h more.”

Brad Binder – P18

“Not exactly the Saturday we had planned. I wanted to get through to Q2 but it was a difficult day with a lot of different elements: a lot of wind and a lot of dust on track. We tried a few things this morning that seemed quite positive in the high wind situation but when it came to pushing for a lap-time in calmer conditions them it seemed a bit more difficult. Tomorrow is our last chance to leave Qatar with a good feeling, so we’re going to go for it.”

Iker Lecuona – P20

“I have to admit, that I’m not satisfied. Obviously, we are pretty far back on the grid again, although we improved one position and above all, my feeling with the bike is way better and also our pace compared to last week.  Regarding all these factors, I expect to have a good race tomorrow and I know that I’m capable of fighting for the points. So, I’ll try my best when the red lights go off for round two.”

Valentino Rossi – P21

“It was very difficult today because we struggled a lot with the rear tyre. Compared to last week we tried to modify the setting and also some of the electronics, but I lost some performance in qualifying and I was not fast enough. We also haven’t been able to improve and we are putting too much stress on the rear tyre. Our goal was to be more consistent with our pace ahead of the race, but we have the same problems after completing several laps. We have another chance in the Warm Up tomorrow to try something, but we know it will be difficult starting the race from behind. We will try to make some changes and see what happens.”

Lorenzo Savadori – P22

“The thing that caused me the most problems, especially today, was the wind. The track was in very complicated conditions and in qualifying, for example, I was on a good time until the third sector but then I lost half a second in the last few fast corners. I still don’t have full confidence with the bike and tyres and having a variable like the wind doesn’t help. Tomorrow in the race I hope the shoulder will respond better than last week and allow me to maintain my pace”.

MotoGP Qualifying Results

MotoGP Championship Standings

Moto2

Last weekend’s race winner Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) once again brought his A-game to the table when it mattered at the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha, with the British rider and Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) going head-to-head for pole position and the number 22 coming out on top. Lowes’ 1:59.055 sees him head the grid by nearly a tenth and a half, but with Gardner in second on take two in the desert it’s the man who proved Lowes’ closest rival last weekend starting right alongside him. Another familiar face from the fight at the front in the Qatar GP, Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46), completes the front row in P3.

There was early drama in Moto2 Q1 as Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) missed out on a place in the top four, with reigning Moto3 World Champion Albert Arenas (Solunion Aspar Team) slamming in a personal best lap on his final flyer that was good enough for P3. That demoted Vierge to P5 and out of Q2. Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) topped the first part of qualifying with a 1:59.592 though, moving through ahead of Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Arenas and Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing).

Gardner was the early pacesetter once Q2 got underway, but the times were down on Q1’s best efforts. Red sectors then lit up the timing screens as a big reshuffle took place, with Aron Canet (Solunion Aspar Team) leading the field from Bendsneyder. Bezzecchi took control of the session next with a 1:59.736, but the times would tumble again.

Gardner hit back, Lowes did the same and Dixon made his way up into second. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) soon split the Brits to grab P2, but the Free Practice pacesetter was three tenths down on Lowes – and just 0.002s ahead of Dixon. Fighting back, Bezzecchi slipped into P2 with just over two minutes left, before Gardner muscled his way back into second. A red second split then popped up for Gardner as Lowes backed out, so all eyes turned to the number 87…

Gardner was also up in Sector 3, but could he keep it going all the way to the line? Not quite! The Aussie just lost ground and despite improving his time, pole went to Lowes for the second week in a row. After Gardner started much further back on his way to second in the Qatar GP however, a front row is mission partly accomplished, as it is for Bezzecchi in P3.

Raul Fernandez ends his second Moto2 qualifying session in P4, another fantastic job by the rookie, and he’s joined on Row 2 by Q1 graduate Dixon. A late charge from rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) seals a brilliant P6 for the Japanese rider as he makes a big leap up the timesheets on take two in Doha, even getting the better of third place Qatar GP finisher Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) as the Italian is forced to head up Row 3. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) and Canet slot in behind Diggia, with Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completing the top 10 in Q2.

Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP 40), Arenas, Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), American rookie Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) and Bendsneyder complete the fastest 15 on Saturday.

Moto2 Qualifying

Moto 2 Championship Standings

Moto3

He left it late but Qatar GP race winner Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) will start from pole at the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha after a last dash to the top, the Spaniard taking it from Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) by less than a tenth as the Championhip leader proved the only rider under the 2:06 mark. Garcia was second quickest but will start from pitlane due to a penalty, with third quickest in Q2, Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3), therefore set to start second. His teammate Gabriel Rodrigo was fourth fastest but bumps up onto the front row.

The pitlane start penalties played their part deciding the Moto3 grid even before qualifying did, with seven riders – including Garcia – given the punishment for their riding in FP2 on Friday evening. The rest are Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride), with a few in Q2 and a few in Q1, complicating life somewhat for those looking to move through.

Once Q1 was underway though, it was the experienced head of Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) who topped the first qualifying session with a 2:06.925, a tenth faster than Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia and Xavier Artigas. Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP) got the job done to earn the final place in the top four and with the windy conditions making a big difference, slipstreaming – an ever-present factor in the lightweight class – was even more important than before.

Once they headed back out for Q2, Garcia was the early pacesetter but Migno was soon at the summit. The Italian, lapping with the Leopard duo and Dupasquier, then improved on his second lap to go over a tenth clear of Garcia with seven minutes to go. Izan Guevara (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) was provisionally on the front row too, with the likes of John McPhee, his Petronas Sprinta Racing teammate Darryn Binder and World Championship leader Masia languishing outside the top 10.

The fun and games started as the riders headed out for their second runs though, with everything coming down to the final three minutes and a one-lap dash for the entire 18-strong field. As they thundered over the line, Garcia was the first to take to the top but almost immediately, Masia snatched it back by less than a tenth. Just behind them, Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 duo Alcoba and Gabriel Rodrigo were able to propel themselves to P3 and P4, with McPhee and Binder also improving in the same gaggle of riders. But no one could beat Masia’s laptime.

That leaves the Championship leader top of the pile in the perfect position to try and complete the double on Sunday, although pole is nearly two seconds off last week, the challenge was a different one in the conditions. Garcia heads for pitlane despite going second fastest, with Alcoba and Rodrigo therefore locking out the front row.

Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) heads the second row, with Andrea Migno alongside him as the Italian slipped to sixth fastest but fifth on the grid. Last week’s polesitter Binder and teammate McPhee didn’t have the best Q2 but were P7 and P8, and both move up a place in the penalty shuffle: Binder completes Row 2 as McPhee spearheads Row 3.

Rookie Pedro Acosta was the ninth fastest man in Q2, but the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider also has a pitlane start so it’s two positions gained for those directly behind him. The first of those was 10th fastest Izan Guevara who will start eighth, ahead of Jason Dupasquier as the Q1 graduate was 11th quickest and moves up to complete the third row.

Row 4 has two Qatar GP winners at the helm in the form of Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) and Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power), with Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) moving up to 12th on the grid as Fenati and Nepa join Garcia and Acosta in pitlane. Artigas does, however, have to do two Long Lap penalties in the race after his incident in the Qatar GP.

Moto3 Qualifying

Moto 3 Championship Standings

2021 MotoGP Round Two
Time Schedule (AEDT)

2021 FIM MotoGP World Championship calendar