Moto2: Bezzecchi Takes First Moto2 Pole

The Moto2 World Championship returns to action this weekend, and a week on from qualifying in Jerez for the Spanish Grand Prix, the intermediate class was qualifying in Jerez for the Andalusian Grand Prix. 

In Q1, it was Enea Bastianini who was fastest, ahead of Xavi Vierge, Simone Corsi and Marcel Schrotter, who all moved through to Q2. 

When Q2 eventually rolled around, Marco Bezzecchi was able to claim his first pole position in Moto2 since stepping up from Moto3 last season. Since jumping on the Sky VR46 Kalex at the start of this season, Bezzecchi’s confidence has returned and with it the pace which saw him challenge Jorge Martin for the 2018 Moto3 world title until the penultimate race of the season. Having crashed out last week, it will be important for Bezzecchi to finish tomorrow, and he has the pace to make a strong result if he does so.

Joining Bezzecchi on the front row are Sam Lowes and Enea Bastianini, the Italian in particular improving drastically from last weekend, and returning more to the form that he showed in Qatar at the season opener back in March. 

Fourth fastest was Jorge Navarro, who at times looked capable of beating Bezzecchi’s time. However, the Spaniard will probably be somewhat pleased the #72 is starting ahead of him, considering it was contact with Bezzecchi in the first corner last week that ended Navarro’s race. Navarro will be joined by last week’s winner, Luca Marini, and last week’s third-placed finisher, Jorge Martin, on the second row. 

Row three will be fronted by Aron Canet, who continues his impressive form at the start of his Moto2 career, and will start alongside a somewhat seemingly rejuvenated Nicolo Bulega and Tom Luthi.

Marcel Schrotter completed the top ten in qualifying, meaning he will start tenth tomorrow, ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio and Xavi Vierge on the fourth row; whilst Edgar Pons will head up row five from Remy Gardner and championship leader Tetsuta Nagashima, who was beaten up in a nasty FP3 crash and will have work to do from 15th tomorrow. 

Row six sees Lorenzo Baldassarri start in front of Q1 graduate Simone Corsi and local rider Marcos Ramirez – the only Andalusian on the grid, and sporting a striking one-off helmet design for his home Grand Prix.

Stefano Manzi was the fastest rider to miss out on Q2 – just. The Italian missed out on transferring by just 0.004 seconds with his final lap. But, nonetheless, it was 19th for the MV Agusta rider. Somkiat Chantra and Jake Dixon will join Manzi on row seven. 

Hafizh Syahrin put on a fantastic comeback last weekend to go from 15th to sixth at the end of the race. It will have to be an even better performance from the Malaysian to repeat that result, having qualified down in 22nd. Augusto Fernandez and Bo Bendsneyder will join the #55 on row eight. 

Lorenzo Dalla Porta’s difficult time in Moto2 continues. The reigning Moto3 World Champion finished Q1 in 11th, which means he will start 25th tomorrow. The Italian will be joined by Joe Roberts and Hector Garzo on row nine; whilst Andi Izdihar, Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin and Jesko Raffin make up the last row.