28 mars 2024

MotoGP, GP des pays-Bas, Viñales en pole à Assen

Q1

Zarco et Bagnaia accèdent à la Q2 !

Les deux hommes se seront sauvés à l’issue des repêchages.

Zarco sur le fil…

Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), qui avait manqué de se qualifier d’office en Q2 pour 31 petits millièmes, devait disputer les repêchages et se sera sauvé in-extremis, grâce à un tour en 1’32’’541. Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing), initialement deuxième, faisait les frais de cette amélioration tardive. Le Valencien devra en effet se contenter d’une 13e place sur la grille ; tandis que Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) accompagnera le Français dans sa quête d’une nouvelle pole position.

Márquez trébuche

Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team), parti au tapis dans la courbe 4, partira de son côté 20e : ses pires qualifications sous l’ère MotoGP.

Q2

Viñales remporte son duel face à Quartararo !

MAVERICK VINALES SPA, MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MotoGP, YAMAHA MotoGP, P1. Pht. Michelin Motorsport

Les deux hommes du team Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP auront été les seuls à rouler en 1’31.

Deux Yamaha en bagarre pour la pole

FABIO QUARTARARO FRA, MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MotoGP, YAMAHA, MotoGP, P2. Pht. Michelin Motorsport

Il y a une semaine de ça, Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) était en totale perdition. Le représentant du team Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP était relégué en fond de grille, mais ce samedi, le n°12 s’offrait une pole, la 24e de sa carrière. Tout se sera à vrai dire joué pour 71 millièmes vis-à-vis de son propre coéquipier, autre pilote descendu sous la barre des 1’32. Et le Catalan battait au passage le précédent record, établi par ‘El Diablo’ il y a deux ans, avec son tour en 1’31’’814.

FRANCESCO BAGNAIA ITA, DUCATI LENOVO TEAM, DUCATI, P3. Pht. Michelin Motorsport

Le Niçois aurait néanmoins presque pu se succéder à lui-même sans cette erreur commise dans le virage 10 ; le Français ayant en effet tiré trop large, alors qu’il était précisément en avance à l’issue des deux premiers secteurs.

Bagnaia, de la Q1 à la première ligne

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) aura l’honneur de les accompagner en première : un résultat presque inespéré dans la mesure où il se sauvait quelques instants plus tôt des repêchages. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) se voyait ainsi repoussé in-extremis en quatrième position. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), second rescapé de la Q1 et Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) figureront à ses côtés.

TAKAAKI NAKAGAMI JPN, LCR HONDA IDEMITSU, HONDA, P4. Pht. Michelin Motorsport

La suite du Top 10

Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) P5. Pht. Michelin Motorsport

La troisième ligne sera quant à elle composée d’Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), de Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) et d’Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini). Le Champion du Monde Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) complétait le Top 10.

VALENTINO ROSSI ITA, PETRONAS YAMAHA SRT, YAMAHA, en Q2. Pht. Micjelin Motorsport

Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT), qualifié d’office en Q2, occupera la 12e place sur la grille. Soyez donc au rendez-vous ce dimanche 14h, pour le départ de la course MotoGP™.

FRANCESCO BAGNAIA ITA / MAVERICK VINALES SPA / FABIO QUARTARARO FRA. Pht. Michelin Motorsport

Q1, ici

Q2, ici

Communiqué MotoGP

English Information

Q 1

Zarco leaves it late to top Q1 and join Bagnaia in Q2

It looked like it was all over for the Frenchman with less than two minutes remaining but a last-gasp flying lap secured his spot in Q2

Pramac Racing’s Johann Zarco produced a stunning last-gasp flying lap to top Q1 at the Motul TT Assen and join factory counterpart Francesco Bagnaia in Q2. The Frenchman was unable to set a flying lap in the first runs meaning he was the target of many to try follow in the closing stages.

Tech3 KTM Factory Racing’s Iker Lecuona made best use of the tow on the first of the flying laps, jumping up to P2 behind Bagnaia. Before then Zarco, having earlier made a mistake and it appearing as if it was game over, the Pramac man dug deep to go top with the chequered flag out.

Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez crashed out in the closing stages, meaning the eight-time World Champion was forced to settle for a career-worst MotoGP™ qualifying result just six days on from victory at the German Grand Prix. He will line-up 20th on the grid for Sunday’s main event.

Q2

Yamaha’s Saturday showdown : Viñales beats Quartararo to pole

The two factory YZR-M1 riders went head-to-head as we witness the fastest-ever two-wheel Assen lap set by the Spaniard

For the first time since the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) will start from pole position after setting a new all-time TT Circuit Assen lap record in Q2, a 1:31.814. The Spaniard and teammate Fabio Quartararo went head-to-head in an exhilarating qualifying, with the World Championship leader settling for P2 ahead of Q1 graduate Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). Two Yamahas lead a Ducati on the front row as eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) is forced to start from P20 at the Motul TT Assen.

A big result for Ducati in Q1, late disappointment for Tech3

It was a huge opening qualifying session for two title contenders at Assen: Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) and Bagnaia. Ducati have been struggling a bit this weekend, but Pecco was able to slot in a very quick early banker to sit top of Q1 for almost the entire session. Zarco, meanwhile, encountered an issue with his GP21 and didn’t head out on track until there was time for just two flying laps.

The Frenchman, second in the title race, was a long way off getting into the top two on his first lap, and then ran wide at Turn 1. Was that his qualifying effort done? It seemed that way, however, Zarco was able to sneak one more lap in – and what a lap it was. The Pramac Racing star landed a time good enough for P1, seeing Bagnaia demoted to P2 and Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) into P3, late heartbreak for the Spaniard who misses out on a first Q2 appearance of the season by less than a tenth.

The pole position scrap

Free Practice 1, 2, and 3 pacesetter Viñales set the initial time to beat, a 1:32.413, but it was beaten on Quartararo’s first flying lap by 0.077s. However, Quartararo’s next flying lap was nothing short of stunning. Through Sector 3, El Diablo was over three tenths faster than his own time and was on course to set the first-ever sub-1:32 lap time at the Cathedral of Speed. Sure enough, Quartararo crossed the line to lay down Assen’s fastest-ever two-wheel lap – a bonkers 1:31.922.

At the end of the first runs, Quartararo was 0.491s clear of second place Viñales, with three tenths separating third place Zarco and ninth fastest Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). It would take an almighty effort to beat Quartararo’s time, but that’s exactly what Viñales was doing. His first lap went astray after a moment at Turn 9, but his sixth lap of the session saw Viñales set a blockbuster 1:31.814 to beat his teammate by 0.071s, a scorcher from Top Gun.

Bagnaia shot up to P3 with a great lap, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) then went P3 before Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) decided it was his turn to sit on the provisional front row, as all eyes turned to Quartararo. Up by nearly two tenths in Sector 1, Quartararo was 0.135s under at the end of Sector 2. However, a small mistake at Turn 10 cost the number 20 time and crossing the line, Quartararo couldn’t improve, meaning Viñales took pole for the first time in 2021. A sensational battle between the factory Yamaha teammates.

How the front four rows take shape

On his final flying lap, Bagnaia picked up a magnificent front row start having come through Q1. Nakagami leads Row 2 in P4 after his best qualifying of the season, excellent from the Japanese rider, who is joined on the second row by Zarco and Oliveira. Rins suffered a late crash at Turn 8 but is unhurt and will start from P8 as the leading Suzuki, Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) are on the third row in 8th and 9th respectively – just over three tenths cover Bagnaia and Aleix Espargaro.

Reigning World Champion Joan Mir’s (Team Suzuki Ecstar) qualifying struggles continue as the Spaniard starts P10, but the number 36 has very good race pace. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) is the second fastest Honda rider in P11, the Spaniard sits 0.089s ahead of 12th place Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT).

An intriguing Sunday awaits

After a crash in Q1, Marc Marquez will start from his worst premier class qualifying position in P20, as the Sachsenring winner and fourth place finisher Brad Binder (Red Bull Factory Racing) endure a tough afternoon at Assen – P21 for the South African.

Can anyone take the fight to the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP riders on Sunday afternoon? Find out at 14:00 local time (GMT+2).