2019 Jerez MotoGP Qualifying Result: New Is Always Better

By Zara Daniela | Sat, 04/05/2019 - 13:14

Considering the pleasingly small gaps separating riders in practice, there were plenty of them eager to get some early brownie points (and/or birthday presents) in qualifying. None more so than Marc Marquez, the world champion already down into the 1:36s on his first lap, nudging the all time lap record but not quite getting there. While the Honda man’s trademark two-stop strategy was unfolding, Franco Morbidelli became his closest threat, the Petronas rider coming as close as four hundredths of a second from pole. Meanwhile, teammate Fabio Quartararo went stealth at the start of the session only to attack the lap record on his final run, snatching an extraordinary first pole position in the premier class as the youngest rider to do so, robbing Marquez in more ways than one.

Just as outstanding was Petronas Yamaha’s one-two on the front row once Morbidelli also got the best of Marquez at the checkered flag, an amazing achievement for a young satellite team on only its fourth race. The reigning world champion had a tame few slides by his standards that hindered his final charge but Marquez stayed on the front row, nine hundredths of a second slower than the Yamaha duo. Andrea Dovizioso will be opening row two ahead of Maverick Viñales as top factory Yamaha and top Q1 escapee, followed by LCR’s Cal Crutchlow.

Danilo Petrucci could not repeat his practice performance and had to settle for seventh after a late tip-off in turn one. Takaaki Nakagami’s Honda and Alex Rins’ Suzuki filled in a diverse row three while one row behind, Pecco Bagnaia showed the way after being the one to push Valentino Rossi out of Q2. Jorge Lorenzo’s birthday present was one of those that distant relatives get you rather than what you actually want: an 11th grid position after a fall at turn 2 in the final three minutes. Joan Mir will be closing row four, while Rossi will have to pull off another excellent comeback from fifth row.

Results:

Pos. Num. Rider Bike Time Gap 1st Prev.
1 20 Fabio QUARTARARO Yamaha 1'36.880    
2 21 Franco MORBIDELLI Yamaha 1'36.962 0.082 0.082
3 93 Marc MARQUEZ Honda 1'36.970 0.090 0.008
4 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati 1'37.018 0.138 0.048
5 12 Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha 1'37.114 0.234 0.096
6 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda 1'37.175 0.295 0.061
7 9 Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati 1'37.209 0.329 0.034
8 30 Takaaki NAKAGAMI Honda 1'37.332 0.452 0.123
9 42 Alex RINS Suzuki 1'37.351 0.471 0.019
10 63 Francesco BAGNAIA Ducati 1'37.384 0.504 0.033
11 99 Jorge LORENZO Honda 1'37.496 0.616 0.112
12 36 Joan MIR Suzuki 1'37.514 0.634 0.018
    Q1 Results:        
Q2 12 Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha 1'37.164    
Q2 63 Francesco BAGNAIA Ducati 1'37.299 0.135 0.135
13 46 Valentino ROSSI Yamaha 1'37.371 0.207 0.072
14 6 Stefan BRADL Honda 1'37.406 0.242 0.035
15 43 Jack MILLER Ducati 1'37.605 0.441 0.199
16 41 Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia 1'37.625 0.461 0.020
17 44 Pol ESPARGARO KTM 1'37.798 0.634 0.173
18 5 Johann ZARCO KTM 1'37.820 0.656 0.022
19 38 Bradley SMITH Aprilia 1'38.357 1.193 0.537
20 53 Tito RABAT Ducati 1'38.403 1.239 0.046
21 17 Karel ABRAHAM Ducati 1'38.447 1.283 0.044
22 88 Miguel OLIVEIRA KTM 1'38.894 1.730 0.447
23 55 Hafizh SYAHRIN KTM 1'40.042 2.878 1.148
  29 Andrea IANNONE Aprilia      
2019
4
MotoGP
Jerez, Spain
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Comments

Am I mistaken or aren't the Petronas boys racing the bikes the factory boys had such a hard time getting to go fast.  Add the Tech-3 successes into the mix, and one starts to wonder if Yamaha needs to be looking closer to what their satellite teams are doing right. 

Wow congratulations Fabio Quartararo, Franco Morbidelli & Petronas SRT! Very impressive result!

It is also great to see new sponsors Petronas getting great exposure in the media. Awesome new team, real talent.

I didn't see that coming.

So can anyone remind me what is the difference between the factory Yamahas (5th & 13th) and the Petronas Yamahas. Or is it just the Johann Zarco method i.e. ride the wheels off the bike you've got, rather than wishing the M1 was perfect?

Yes v4racer it is close & seems to be getting closer. The race could be very entertaining.

We live in the golden age, for MotoGp at least.

All the Yamahas are the same 2019 spec, but the rpm wick is turned down 1000 rpms to start the season and can be changed to 500 if they are willing to buy an additional engine or two.

The important difference is Quartararo getting his 2018 bike suddenly taken out behind the garage and put down with a grinder mid Feb. Lucky duck! The kid is doing well, eh? Who will be checking who's data over there?! Yamaha is on their way.

Motoshrink is correct. All four Yamahas are the same spec, more or less. They are all 2019 bikes. Franco Morbidelli is on a bike which is very close to the factory machines. Fabio Quartararo is on a bike which is slightly lower spec: it has the aluminum Ohlins, rather than the carbon forks, and it has 500 RPM less than the factory bikes.

The wisdom of Wilco Zeelenberg! to do all he has done in m/c racing & pick Fabio Quartararo as a rising star, very impressive. W.Z. is a 250 Gp winner, usually fast in practice & quali from memory. Wilco has done a few seasons in WSS, ridden tiddlers, 80s & 125s. Team manager etc, Wilco Zee is so good he could do Lin Jarvis' job.

Great to see this new team in MotoGp doing so well. Congratulations Petronas Yamaha SRT.

Surely the time has come to stop questioning the ability of the M1Yamaha and to put the focus on the works garage.

There is clearly not too much wrong with the machine as VR46 always demonstrates on race days.

How did MV12 go from getting on JL99's M1, topping the season ending test then appearing invincible at the first 3 races a few years ago to a sometimes rudderless ship?

How the works effort shamed Yamaha into apologising for the equipment is beyond me.

The motogp/Fox commentary team don't help much by continually talking the works riders up and putting the blame on the machinery when quite often all 4 are in the top 10.

First time contributor so go easy on me

 

Welcome Cagiva. I kept a close eye on Maverick's rear driving out after 2/3rds race distance. The assumption was that w the hot temperatures that the Yamaha rear tire would drop like a stone 5-8 laps before the flag. Nope. Didn't spin at all.

Yamaha is doing the business. The Suzuki is still the best Yamaha out there, but by VERY little now. The drag race was dead even on these two bikes today.