Zarco one breath away from Pol Espargaro and his pole position at the Styrian GP !

Frustrated by his crashes during the last two Grand Prix, Pol Espargaro makes up for it by offering KTM its first pole position in MotoGP on "his" Red Bull Ring circuit. Nakagami and Zarco are following him on the timesheet … but the French n ° 5 will start from the pits and Quartararo will start from ninth place.

The riders are competing this weekend for the very first – and last !? – Grand Prix of Styria (Austrian region), but our handlebar aces knew the every secrets of its circuit before putting their wheels there on Friday, since last week they were already turning on the Red Bull Ring for the traditional Austrian GP !

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the Intercontinental Circus to remain confined to Europe this year and to compete in a pair of Grand Prix on certain tracks. Another factor which further spices up the competition: the absence of the world champion in (six) titles Marc Marquez, injured in the arm from the opening Grand Prix in Jerez…

• MNC special file : Everything you need to know about the 2020 Styrian GP

This Saturday morning after the third free practice session, the times were extremely tight: the Top 10 led by the young and talented Joan Mir was held in a third of a second. Quartararo was in second position, 4 thousandths of a second ahead of Nakagami and Dovizioso (!) And one hundredth ahead of Viñales.

is down!!!

The Doctor is unhurt but will not go through to Q2!

– MotoGP (@MotoGP)

Credited with the 15th fastest time in this same FP3, Valentino Rossi only gave back half a second to Suzuki n ° 36! Doctor’s fans cheered each other up – and uplifted their idol in the standings – by factoring in the # 46 Yamaha’s gap in Turn 9 on its final quick lap.

Unfortunately for his supporters, Valentino (no, no, no!) Got stuck in the same penultimate curve of the Austrian circuit, slightly overhanging, while he was able to pass in Q2 … MotoGP will finally start from 15th place on the grid on Sunday, its 347th start in the premier class … out of the 900 given since 1949 !

"It’s magic!", 3rd in qualifying, did not expect to achieve a 1st line in the dry on the track at Spielberg

– CANAL + MotoGP ™ (@CanalplusMotoGP)

Johann Zarco, declared "unfit" on Friday but allowed to race today (twelfth fastest time in FP3), managed to get his ticket for the final phase of qualifying, after saving himself in FP4! For the record, the French driver rolls injured following his appalling collision with Franco Morbidelli during the Austrian GP.

As decided by the FIM Stewards, our double world champion of soccer Moto2 will start from the pit lane despite his incredible third place in Q2, just 52 thousandths of a second behind the poleman … who happens to be his former teammate at KTM and main detractor: Pol Espargaro !

Pol’s first pole

The Spanish n ° 44 was the fastest this afternoon on the Red Bull Ring riding the RC16, which he will swap next year for the RC213V. Like KTM, this is Pol’s first pole in MotoGP. Tomorrow he will try to erase his disappointments from the GP of the Czech Republic – clash with Zarco – and Austria – clash with Oliveira…

First career pole for !!!

KTM have their first premier class pole with narrowly missing out!

– MotoGP (@MotoGP)

Between the two best enemies of the field infiltrates Takaaki Nakagami: author of the best time in FP4 – Saturday noon session supposed to reveal the best drivers on racing tires – the Japanese who openly aims for the podium will place his Honda LCR n ° 30 in second position on the grid, ahead of Joan Mir.

The second row will be made up of the uncertain Jack Miller (heavily fallen in FP3) on the first Ducati (sic), Maverick Viñales on the first Yamaha and Alex Rins on the second Suzuki. Fabio Quartararo, still at the top of the provisional classification with 67 points, has to settle for the last place of the third row. We wish him a better pace in the race !

It seems has found some race pace!

The rider may have found a race setup he likes at the 11th hour!

– MotoGP (@MotoGP)

Our tasty French 20 – who hadn’t left the front row since the British GP last summer – will have to get his fingers out of the exhausts of his M1 – less swift in a straight line than most of its competitors – and take the wheel of Andrea Dovizioso !

Winner of the Austrian GP last weekend, the n ° 04 Ducati will start from a delicate eighth place for this GP "of Styria". The Italian stallion is aiming not only for a second success in a row, but also to lead the 2020 championship: he is only 11 points behind our Fabio. Mamma mia !

Starting grid for the Styrian MotoGP Grand Prix 2020

Related articles

• European GP – European GP Qualifying: Pol Espargaro on pole, Yamaha in “polemics” –

  European GP Qualifying: Pol Espargaro on pole, Yamaha in polemics Pol Espargaro takes pole at the 2020 European Grand Prix in Valencia, the official KTM…

• Austrian GP – Viñales in pole position of the Austrian MotoGP GP ahead of Miller and Quartararo –

  Viñales in pole position of the Austrian MotoGP GP ahead of Miller and Quartararo It is finally Maverick Viñales, already leading FP3 this morning, who…

• Analyzes – In Misano, Zarco takes advantage of the crashes and Espargaro makes the most of the KTM – Used KTM

  In Misano, Zarco takes advantage of the crashes and Espargaro makes the most of the KTM Johann Zarco erases the disappointment of his fault during the GP…

• WSBK – Superpole Jerez: Baz signs his second pole position –

  Superpole Jerez: Baz signs his second pole position At the top of the timesheet on Friday evening, Loris Baz has just confirmed this afternoon in Jerez:…

• Bol d’Or – Bol d’Or: SRC Kawasaki in pole position at Le Castellet ahead of the two official Yamaha – Used KAWASAKI

  Bol d’Or: SRC Kawasaki in pole position at Le Castellet ahead of the two official Yamaha After dominating the first free practice (1’59.378), the first…

• GP of Czech Republic – GP of Rep. Czech Qualifiers: Zarco on pole makes Quartararo crack! –

  GP of Rep. Czech Qualifiers: Zarco on pole makes Quartararo crack ! Franco-French fight between Zarco and Quartararo this afternoon on the Brno circuit…

• Analyzes – Valencia GP – Pol Espargaro (3rd): “It’s a real breath of fresh air” –

  Valencia GP – Pol Espargaro (3rd): It’s a real breath of fresh air It was a supercharged Pol Espargaro in front of his audience who signed a splendid…

• Valencia GP – Valencia GP Qualifying: Morbidelli saves Yamaha’s honor with pole –

  Valencia GP Qualifying: Morbidelli saves Yamaha’s honor with pole Morbidelli’s pole position (ahead of Miller, Nakagami and Zarco) is good for Yamaha,…

• 24 Heures Motos – 24 Heures Motos 2015: Kawasaki confirms its pole position –

  24 Heures Motos 2015: Kawasaki confirms its pole position The second qualifying session of the 2015 24 Hours Motos allowed the official Kawasaki SRC team…

• San Marino GP – San Marino GP Qualifications: Viñales leads a Yamaha quartet with a record pole! –

  San Marino GP Qualifiers: Viñales leads a Yamaha quartet with a record pole ! Maverick Viñales wins his second MotoGP 2020 pole position during…