Catalunya MotoGP: Aleix Espargaro on pole, Maverick Vinales second as Suzuki shines

ALEIX Espargaro and Maverick Vinales gave Suzuki a surprise one-two finish in the qualifying session for the Catalunya Moto Grand Prix.

Aleix Espargaro

ALEIX Espargaro and Maverick Vinales gave Suzuki a surprise one-two finish in the qualifying session for the Catalunya Moto Grand Prix.

Espargaro earned his second career pole in the top category after setting qualifying record lap of 1 minute, 40.546 seconds at the 4.7km Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit.

Team Suzuki Ecstar Spanish rider Aleix Espargaro (L) celebrates his first pole position with Team Suzuki Ecstar Spanish rider Maverick Vinales, second, during the MotoGP qualifying session at the Barcelona-Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, near Barcelona, on June 13, 2015. AFP PHOTO / JOSEP LAGO

Vinales was less than a second slower, followed by Jorge Lorenzo on his Yamaha.

Honda’s two-time defending champion Marc Marquez will start the race from fourth while points leader Valentino Rossi was seventh fastest qualifier on his Yamaha.

The Suzuki one-two confirms the rise of the Japanese manufacturer this season and the pole is the first for the team since Aussie Chris Vermeulen’s effort at Assen in 2007.

Espargaro had retired in the two previous MotoGP races, in France and Italy, but it was a different story at Montmelo.

“I’m very happy with the pole, but my hope is to be on the podium tomorrow,” the 25-year-old Catalan said.

“I didn’t have any expectations of doing this on my home track with its long straightaway, but the truth is that the bike adapted perfectly to the track.”

Room for ‘improvement’ for Valentino Rossi.

Former world champion Lorenzo, who has won the past three races, made a mistake in turn three on his last qualifying lap.

“I went too fast and a bit wide,” he said.

“In this corner, when you arrive wide you get a bounce and the bike becomes unstable. I had to put the bike up straight a little bit and lost three-tenths there.”

Rossi has a narrow six-point lead over Lorenzo in the championship but will be buoyed by his record at Montmelo having triumphed in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2009.

“I expect we will have to make some improvement for tomorrow, we have some work to do in the warm up and apply some small modifications,” said Rossi.