MotoGP: Quartararo Back on Pole, Marc Marquez Out

The MotoGP Andalusian Grand Prix had been a dramatic one until qualifying, and that characteristic continued on Saturday afternoon in Jerez. 

In Q1, all eyes were on Marc Marquez, who was in the middle of his comeback from the broken humerus suffered last weekend. But the reigning world champion did not even complete an out-lap.

At the top of the times, though, it was Miguel Oliveira and Franco Morbidelli who advanced through to Q2 for the second race of the season.

In Q2, it was Fabio Quartararo who was able to secure his second pole position of the season, maintaining his 100% record on Saturdays in 2020. Alongside the Frenchman will be his stablemate Maverick Vinales, who almost stole pole position on his final lap, but for missing track limits on the exit of turn seven. The two of them are the favourites for the victory tomorrow, and with the holeshot device on their YZR-M1s, they will be looking for clear air from the start to exercise their superior race pace. 

However, there could be problems for the two Yamaha riders, as starting alongside them on the inside of the front row will be Francesco Bagnaia on his Pramac Ducati, having secured his first MotoGP front row start after narrowly missing out on it last weekend. The Italian is certainly making his case for staying at Pramac next year, after rumours before the season started suggested that it would Johann Zarco who would be in that seat next year. All that remains for the Italian now is to put it together in the race, and in practice his pace has been strong.

Fourth-fastest was Valentino Rossi, setting his fastest lap in the tow of Bagnaia. Rossi’s first run was disappointing, but a change of both front and rear tyres for the second run, as well as the marker of Bagnaia ahead of him, was enough to allow the Italian veteran to make his best qualifying since Phillip Island 2019.

Just two thousandths of a second slower than Rossi was Miguel Oliveira, who took his best MotoGP qualifying with fifth, and took the top KTM spot with it. Having come through Q1, it was a good result for the Portuguese, whose strong point was never hot lapping. If he can show similar race pace to that which he displayed one week ago he could be in the window for the top six. 

Rounding out the second row will be Franco Morbidelli, who will no doubt be relieved – after his poor qualifying cost him so dearly last weekend and Saturday started so poorly with him missing direct qualification for Q2 – to be starting sixth tomorrow, when his aim will be the podium.

Jack Miller will head up row three in seventh place. He is far from his teammate, Bagnaia, but Miller is sitting on some strong race rhythm, and should be able to use the strengths of the Ducati tomorrow to arrive in the fight for the top positions. 

Joining Miller on row three will be Takaaki Nakagami and Brad Binder, both of whom could have potentially been on the front row but for fairly sizeable errors – especially for Nakagami – entering the final turn on their respective final laps of Q2. Instead, Nakagami will be eighth, ahead of Binder in ninth.

The top ten in qualifying was rounded out by Joan Mir, who will start tomorrow’s race from the front of the fourth row, and should be debuting Suzuki’s holeshot device. Keeping him company will be Danilo Petrucci – who was not able to be as strong in the afternoon as in the morning, but nonetheless is improved from Friday – and Pol Espargaro, who will likely be blaming poor qualifying tomorrow for not being able to maximise the result in the race, which for the #44 KTM seems to be a podium this weekend. 

Cal Crutchlow was heroic to be the fastest rider to miss out on Q2. The British rider is still, of course, suffering the effects of the broken scaphoid suffered last weekend, as well as the effects of the anaesthetics on his stomach. 

For Andrea Dovizioso, qualifying day was a disaster. With Marc Marquez suffering, Dovizioso would have been hoping to take advantage this weekend, but qualifying fourteenth is not the best way to go about that. Of course, the points are awarded on Sunday, but achieving big points from fourteenth is not easy, especially on a small track like Jerez. 

Johann Zarco qualified 15th fastest which, if he is in a battle with Bagnaia for a spot at Pramac in 2021, is not the best. However, this is his second race on a Ducati and he is only 0.105 seconds slower than Dovizioso, which is perhaps a more fair representation for the Frenchman. 

Aleix Espargaro could only manage sixth in Q1 for 16th overall. It certainly seems at the moment that the revolution of the Aprilia RSGP was flattered in the preseason. Joining Espargaro on the sixth row will be Iker Lecuona and Tito Rabat; whilst row seven will consist of Bradley Smith, the injured Alex Rins (who remains a doubt for tomorrow) and Alex Marquez who crashed unharmed at the end of Q1, and qualified last of those who set times. 

After qualifying, Alberto Puig spoke to the press on behalf of HRC and the Repsol Honda Team, and announced that Marc Marquez will not ride on Sunday.