Austin MotoGP Qualification 2: Marc Márquez sparks but his pole position is under investigation…

In addition to Andrea Iannone, Marc Márquez, Maverick Vinales, Valentino Rossi, Johann Zarco, Cal Crutchlow, Alex Rins, Andrea Dovizioso, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa already qualified for Q2, Pol Espargaro and Danilo Petrucci have just been added to determine the first 4 lines of the starting grid of this Grand Prix of the Americas.

12 drivers and 15 minutes generally broken down into two very brief runs which will take place on a completely dry track with temperatures of 22° in the air and 24° on the ground.

In the past, Marc Marquez has always won pole position: will he do it for the 6th consecutive time in MotoGP?

Here are the references available at the start of this decisive session:

Austin MotoGP™	2017	2018
FP1	2'04.923 Maverick Vinales	2'05.530 Marc Marquez (See here)
FP2	2'04.061 Marc Marquez	2'04.599 Andrea Iannone (See here)
FP3	2'03.979 Maverick Vinales	2'04.608 Marc Marquez (See here)
FP4	2'04.201 Marc Marquez	2'04.686 Marc Marquez (See here)
Qualification 1	2'04.438 Jack Miller	2'05.169 Pol Espargaro (See here)
Qualification 2	2'02.741 Marc Marquez	2'03.658 Marc Marquez
Warm Up	2'04.070 Marc Marquez
Course	Marquez, Rossi, Pedrosa
All time lap record	2'02.135 Marc Marquez 2015

 

At the end of the first flying round, it is Marc Marquez who leads the pack in 2'04.134 ahead Valentino Rossi, Johann Zarco, Jorge Lorenzo et Maverick Vinales.

On the next pass, the Honda driver accelerates again but loses control of his RC213V at turn 13.

At the end of the first run, we therefore find Márquez 4 tenths ahead Rossi, Crutchlow, Zarco, Iannone, Pedrosa, Lorenzo, Vinales, Rins et Petrucci.

On resumption, Maverick Vinales (soft/medium) lights the first 2 partials in red but falls on a Marc Márquez very slow in its launching lap: irritation and big gestures guaranteed!

In the meantime, Johann zarco takes 2nd place less than 2/10 behind Marc Márquez.

In the last 2 minutes, there are 8 drivers to light the partials in red and the burst of changes begins with Jorge Lorenzo who took 2nd place, quickly replaced by Valentino Rossi which rises to 95/1000 of Marc Márquez.

In the next passage, the latter increases the pace a little further and relegates all his little comrades to at least 4/10.

However, an investigation is announced concerning his incident with Maverick Vinales : will pole position be decided on the green carpet?

Photo credit: MotoGP.com