MotoGP Round 7 At Catalunya – 3rd Successive Pole For Lorenzo
Without defending champion Valentino Rossi, there seems to be no real threat for Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo as he continues to strengthen his grip on the world championship leaderboard. On Saturday the Spaniard took an impressive third straight pole at his home track of Montmeló, the championship leader stormed to his 12th MotoGP pole with an impressive lap that was 0.364 seconds faster than Casey Stoner in second. Randy de Puniet completed the front row on 3rd spot.
Jorge Lorenzo of Fiat Yamaha Team
Casey Stoner of Ducati Marlboro Team
Randy de Puniet of LCR Honda MotoGP
23 year old Lorenzo was fastest once again in morning practice but spent most of the qualifying session a little further down the standings, as he concentrated on perfecting his race set-up and gathering as much information as possible about the two available Bridgestone tyre compounds.
With just under 10 minutes to go he climbs up the leader board to take pole, surrendering it briefly to Stoner before improving again on both of his next two laps to ensure himself a hat-trick of pole positions from the last three races.
The qualifying session was held in scorching conditions again with the track temperatures rising to 53ºC. With more soaring temperatures, today’s 25-lap race looks like being a scorching affair when the lights go out at 1400 CET.
Yamaha’s new temporary rider Wataru Yoshikawa
Qualifying Results :
1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1’42.046
2. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team 1’42.410
3. Randy de Puniet (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP 1’42.512
4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1’42.592
5. Ben Spies (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1’42.710
6. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda Team 1’42.866
7. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1’42.903
8. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Pramac Green Team 1’42.931
9. Marco Simoncelli (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1’42.994
10. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1’43.025
11. Colin Edwards (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1’43.059
12. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Marlboro Team 1’43.068
13. Hector Barbera (SPA) Aspar Team 1’43.417
14. Marco Melandri (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1’43.621
15. Mika Kallio (FIN) Pramac Green Team 1’43.685
16. Kousuke Akiyoshi (JPN) Interwetten Honda MotoGP 1’45.577
17. Wataru Yoshikawa (JPN) Fiat Yamaha Team 1’45.759
Photo : Fiat Yamaha Team / Rizla Suzuki MotoGP / MotoGP
Editorial : Nazim Idris
