- 2018-10-27
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SPORTS
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MotoGP Australia: Marc Marquez Takes Pole Position at Phillip Island
The Round 17 on MotoGP 2018, Australia Grand Prix ran Qualifying at Phillip Island on October 27, 2018.
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) withdrew from this event due to injury.
The newly-crowned 2018 MotoGP champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) took his fifth consecutive pole position in Australia with 1m 29.199s. Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha) was 2nd position behinde Marquez by 0.310s.
Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech3) was 3rd in the front row, following Japan Grand Prix.
Suzuki Ecstar duo Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins were 4th and 5th in the second row, respectively.
Local hero Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) took the pole once at least, but finally he would start at 6th position tomorrow.
Alvaro Bautista (Ducati Team), who is Jorge Lorenzo's replacement, was crashed out and finished 12th.
Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) was seventh quickest, while Danilo Petrucci (Pramac Ducati) relegated Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) down to ninth.
Marc Marquez said:
“I don’t want to compare with these names because in the end, I will compare when I will retire. Still I hope that I have a long life and many years in front. I will try to keep this level but the last thing I want to do is realise what I am doing and compare my name with these kind of legends because I want to keep the same mentality.
I’m feeling exactly like another weekend and I would like to feel even better with the bike because I struggle a little bit all weekend, but I am just pushing like always and I crashed like (I do) in many races. I am just trying to work for the race and I’m feeling good.
It was difficult to understand the way to push with the bike because we are riding at 200 kph in nearly all the lap and it is scary when you see some drops on your visor, but apart from that I tried to find the good lap and it was in the third run.
Then I already see ’29.1 was a really fast lap and with the second tyre I felt not so bad when I go out from the box, but then I see a small drop and it was raining a little bit, so I say I will not take the risk and we will see if somebody improves. During this weekend we see many crashes and here it is easy to get injured.
For some reason all Hondas struggle here, but then we start to do a really good job with the team and step by step we improved our feeling. Now, it looks like I am very close to the race pace with the others, but there is one rider – (Andrea) Iannone – who is faster than everybody, but tomorrow in the race we will see.
It will be interesting to check the best rear tyre and apart from that, Phillip Island is a long race, difficult, and you need to concentrate on the temperature of the tyre – especially the front one – and we need to try and manage in the right way and fight for the podium.”
Michelin® Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix Qualifying Results- Marc Marquez / Repsol Honda / 1m 29.199s
- Maverick Vinales / Movistar Yamaha / 1m 29.509s
- Johann Zarco / Monster Yamaha Tech3 / 1m 29.705s
- Andrea Iannone / Suzuki Ecstar / 1m 29.712s
- Alex Rins / Suzuki Ecstar / 1m 30.026s
- Jack Miller / Pramac Ducati / 1m 30.140s
- Valentino Rossi / Movistar Yamaha / 1m 30.270s
- Danilo Petrucci / Pramac Ducati / 1m 30.328s
- Andrea Dovizioso / Ducati Team / 1m 30.519s
- Hafizh Syahrin / Monster Yamaha Tech3 / 1m 30.593s
- Pol Espargaro / Red Bull KTM Factory / 1m 30.640s
- Alvaro Bautista / Ducati Team / 1m 32.367s
- Karel Abraham / Angel Nieto Team / 1m 30.174s
- Takaaki Nakagami / LCR Honda / 1m 30.452s
- Franco Morbidelli / EG 0,0 Marc VDS / 1m 30.518s
- Bradley Smith / Red Bull KTM Factory / 1m 30.646s
- Xavier Simeon / Reale Avintia / 1m 30.679s
- Dani Pedrosa / Repsol Honda / 1m 30.770s
- Aleix Espargaro / Factory Aprilia Gresini / 1m 30.911s
- Scott Redding / Factory Aprilia Gresini / 1m 31.958s
- Thomas Luthi / EG 0,0 Marc VDS / 1m 31.141s
- Jordi Torres / Reale Avintia / 1m 31.309s
- Mike Jones / Angel Nieto Team / 1m 32.639s
- source : MotoGP
