KTM grabs second MotoGP pole with Espargaro

KTM claimed only its second MotoGP pole as Pol Espargaro emerged on top of a frantic European Grand Prix qualifying session on a drying track at Valencia.

Espargaro’s 1m40.434s jumped Suzuki’s Alex Rins for the top spot by just 0.041s.

KTM and Espargaro had taken their only previous pole at the Styrian GP in August.

Aragon GP polesitter Takaaki Nakagami had looked set to pull off another qualifying shock as he put in a late Q2 lap seven tenths of a second clear of the field.

But he was pushed back by Espargaro and Rins, then crashed on his following lap.

Johann Zarco was fastest in morning practice, fell in final practice, made it through to Q2 from Q1 and then put his Esponsorama Ducati fourth on the grid – losing time in the final sector when pole looked possible.

Championship leader Joan Mir and Friday pacesetter Jack Miller complete row two alongside Zarco.

Mir’s main title rival Fabio Quartararo has struggled in the mixed conditions all weekend. He was only 11th on the grid, his worst start of the season so far.

Petronas SRT Yamaha team-mate Franco Morbidelli was two places ahead.

KTM only has three bikes at Valencia due to Iker Lecuona being sidelined by his brother’s positive COVID-19 test, but all three start in the top 10 – Miguel Oliveira (who was fastest in Q1) and Brad Binder backing up Espargaro’s pole with eighth and 10th places.

Aleix Espargaro put Aprilia seventh on the grid, his second-best start of 2020 so far.

Outside title contender Andrea Dovizioso was slowest in Q2 and starts 12th for Ducati.

Having missed all of Friday – plus the two preceding races at Aragon – while sidelined by coronavirus, Valentino Rossi faced an uphill battle to get through to Q2, and was only eighth in the first part of qualifying.

That means 17th on the grid for his first race since Le Mans a month ago, gaining a spot from Yamaha team-mate Maverick Vinales’ pitlane start.

Several riders who often star in the wet failed to get out of Q1. French Grand Prix winner Danilo Petrucci is only 19th on the grid on the second factory Ducati, with his Le Mans victory rival Alex Marquez one spot behind works Honda team-mate Stefan Bradl in 14th.

Vinales’ highly eventful weekend continued with a crash on an out-lap in practice four, before he set the fifth fastest time in Q1 – which would’ve been 15th on the grid had he not already got the engine usage penalty that means he must start from the pitlane.

Qualifying Results