Repsol rider dominates qualifying from start to finish, despite a crash in the session. Alex Marquez will start the Spanish GP from 22nd after a crash of his own.
For the second consecutive season Alex Rins took pole position at the Jerez circuit for the Spanish GP. The Repsol rider needed just three laps in which to set a time too fierce for the rest of the grid. Rins was the only rider to beat his early time, and did so on his penultimate lap, after returning to the track after a crash. Alex Marquez, who also crashed at almost the same time, will start from 22nd on the grid.
Alex Rins began the day by setting the fastest time in the final free practice for the Grand Prix of Spain, in a prelude to the qualifying session. In the afternoon run to decide starting positions, the Repsol rider breached the 1’47 mark on his third time around –the only man to do so- although he would crash at Turn 1 on his next lap. After a stop in his garage whilst his team repaired the bike, he went back out and improved his time even further. His best lap was a 1’46.660 that put him almost half a second ahead of the second placed rider.
Teammate Alex Marquez, could not continue with the progress that had taken him to tenth in the morning session. A collision with another rider on Turn 5 sent him to the ground, and he was unable to go any faster than his second lap of the afternoon, placing 22nd.
Rins will start from pole for the second time this season, whilst Marquez will take off from the eighth row in the 11am race.
Alex Rins >> Audio
FP3 – 1:48.861, 16 laps, 71 km.
QP – 1:46.660, 13 laps, 57 km.
“It was a rather complete session. At first we went out with used tyres, I pushed harder than normal and had a little scare when I went down on the first corner. I have to thank the team for working very well to fix the bike, allowing me to get back out when there were still more than 15 minutes remaining. I felt really good on the bike and this allowed me to get a good time. Tomorrow’s race will be difficult. I think it will be a race in groups of four or five riders, but we have to control things well and fight for the top positions.”
Alex Marquez >> Audio
FP3 – 1:48.081, 17 laps, 75 km.
QP – 1:48.994, 11 laps, 49 km.
“In the morning the pace that we had was not bad, but I knew I could still improve a lot. In the afternoon qualifying session I had a small crash straight off, when I was clipped by another rider. Now we have to think about tomorrow and have a good warm-up, in order to finish off making the bike better and to regain confidence. We must forget this session and look ahead to the race. It will be difficult but we have to be convinced.”
