Jorge Lorenzo of Yamaha Factory Racing negotiates a turn during the qualifying race of Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit, yesterday. The world champion brought delight to Yamaha camp by securing the top spot on the front row for the season’s opening round today. PICTURES BY: SHAIVAL DALAL
BY RIZWAN REHMAT
DOHA: World champion Jorge Lorenzo yesterday brought delight to Yamaha camp as he issued a firm warning to his rivals by securing the top spot on the front row for the season’s opening round today.
The 25-year-old Spaniard rode his Yamaha bike with guile and experience, nudging a fast-improving Cal Crutchlow of Britain and Honda Repsol’s pocket dynamo Dani Pedrosa to the top spot.
Lorenzo clocked an impressive time of 1’54.714 in the second and decisive qualifying race that saw only 12 riders take to the track at Losail International Circuit
Crutchlow, the 27-year-old Briton, kept the pressure on Lorenzo and finished just .202secs slower than the pole winner. Crutchlow was timed 1’54.916.
Spain’s Pedrosa, also 27, surprised the field with an impressive run on his Repsol Honda, motoring to a time of 1’55.151 around the 5.38km circuit.
Ducati Team rider Andrea Dovizioso (1’55.160) secured the fourth spot on the second row while Germany’s Stefan Bradl - the 2011 Moto2 world champion - grabbed the fifth place.
Bradl, riding for LCR Honda MotoGP, was fifth fastest with a time of 1’55.477.
The fastest rider in the first three free practice sessions, Spain’s Marc Marquez remained in the clutch of the top-six bracket by finishing a notch behind Bradl.
Marcquez, team-mate of Pedrosa, clocked 1’55.645 to secure the sixth grid on the second row.
Lorenzo, who will be aiming for his 24th MotoGP win today, admitted Crutchlow put pressure on him in the dying minutes of Q2.
“I tried my best to do a fast lap. I was just trying to get the maximum. It wasn’t easy because Cal was doing extremely fast laps,” Lorenzo said.
“So I had to use all my talent and experience to make this happen. This is very good for us,” the 2012 world champion added.
Crutchlow, seeking his debut MotoGP win, said he was able to carry the momentum he picked up in pre-season testing in Sepang (Malaysia) and Jerez (Spain).
“I hope so,” Crutchlow said when asked if he could sustain the momentum in the season’s opening race today.
“We actually did a good job. I am pleased that we are starting the season pretty strong,” the Briton added.
“We had great testing in Malaysia and at Jerez. So I think we are carrying that momentum into this weekend,” he said.
“It (the second spot on the front row) is not so bad. We can improve in some areas and we can look into that tonight. It will be difficult to challenge the factory guys but let’s see what happens. I will do my best,” Crutchlow, who managed a podium finish at Brno last season, added.
Pedrosa, winner of 22 Grands Prix, said he was satisfied to be on the front row.
“Obviously we would have liked to be on the front three and we are,” the Spaniard said. “We have made important improvements. I feel comfortable. I hope we can do better (in the race today),” he added. The first place on the third row was secured by nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi of Yahama.
Italian Rossi (1’55.711) finished seventh fastest and ahead of Spain’s Alvaro Bautista (1’55.870). Rossi clocked his best time on lap two (out of seven) while Bautista – riding for GO&FUN Honda Gresini – did his fastest time on lap six.
Bradley Smith, also of Yamaha, completed the list of riders on the third grid by securing the ninth spot with a time of 1’56.315. Smith, a former partner of Crutchlow in Moto2, scored his fastest time on lap four.
Ducati’s Andrea Iannone (1’56.523), 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden (1’56.667) and Spain’s Aleix Espargaro (1’57.064) are in the fourth row.
Ben Spies (1’57.440) of Ducati, Randy du Puniet (1’57.551) of ART and Lukas Pesek (1’57.926) of Ioda-Suter are in row five.
The season’s opening 22-lap race starts at 10pm tonight.
Earlier, Spanish rider Pol Esparagaro outpaced inform Japanese rival Takaaki Nagakami to grab the season’s first Moto2 pole. Marc VDS Racing Team’s Mika Kallio was the third fastest rider.
In Moto3, Red Bull rider Luis Salom of Spain grabbed the top spot ahead of Maverick Vinales. Alex Rins secured the third spot on the front grid.
THE PENINSULA
