Dalla Porta, Granado and Barragan to start from pole position. Carrau wins in Kawasaki Z Cup
After two intense days of unofficial practices, enabling teams and riders to tune their machines, qualifying practices – held in bright sunshine and with ideal track conditions – has thrown some light on the possible early favourites of the season. Dalla Porta will start from the pole position in the Moto3™ Junior World Championship, as will Granado in the Moto2™ European Championship and Barragán in the Superbike European Championship. The Kawasaki Z Cup opened today with Dani Carrau coming in victorious.
In the Moto3™ Junior World Championship, Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA-Husqvarna) has continued the winning streak from last season. The Laglisse Academy rider debuted with a best lap of 1:40.275 on lap 15 of the first session, which earned him first position on the starting grid tomorrow. Asia Talent Team rider Kaito Toba (JPN-Honda) second in the grid posted a best time 81 hundredths slower than the pole position rider, and was the quickest in the second qualifying session. Marcos Ramírez (SPA-KTM) rode faster in the first session and takes third place on the front row of the grid. Among the Moto3™ Production riders, Aleix Viu (SPA-Honda) stood out. Everything suggests that the race tomorrow will be a tremendous battle, with the top 16 riders in today’s first session posting lap times within a second of each other.
The consistency of Promoracing rider Eric Granado (BRA-Kalex) on the Kalex last season seems to have come to fruition today as he chalked up the quickest time in both Moto2™ European Championship qualifying practice sessions today – albeit slightly faster in the second session. The same thing happened with the second and third placed riders Steven Odendaal (RSA-Kalex) and Tetsuta Nagashima (JPN-Kalex), who put up the second and third fastest laps respectively in both sessions. Behind them on the second row of the grid tomorrow will be some well-know faces: Alan Techer (FRA-TPro NTS), Remy Gardner (AUS-Honda-Kalex) and Federico Fuligni (ITA-Kalex). The fastest Superstock 600 rider was Jacopo Cretaro (ITA-Yamaha).
After a year’s absence from the championship, Santi Barragán (SPA-BMW), showed he was comfortable on his new BMW, setting the best time in the first Superbike European Championship qualifying practice session. During this session, teammate and renowned rookie from last season Maximilian Scheib (CHI-BMW) posted the second fastest lap, 293 thousandths slower. Alejandro Medina (SPA-Yamaha) was the third quickest in QP1. A few hours later, in the second session, Santi Barragán (SPA-BMW) showed his dominance, earning his first pole position of the season. Second slot on the grid will be occupied by defending champion Carmelo Morales (SPA-Yamaha), who waited until the second session to set his best time of 1:35.980. Maximilian Schreib (CHI-BMW) will start from third place on the grid. Among the privateer riders, Niko Mäkinen (FIM-Yamaha) stood out.
The podium of the Circuit of Valencia was occupied for the first time this new 2016 FIM CEV Repsol season by Daniel Carrau, rookie Marc Cortell and Francisco Javier Valera, who took first, second and third place respectively in the Kawasaki Z Cup. Tomorrow, the Kawasaki Z Cup riders will contest the second race of the weekend.
This Sunday’s race schedule is as follows:
Moto2™ (19 laps): 11h
Moto3™ (18 laps): 12h
Superbike (19 laps): 13h
Moto2™ (18 laps): 14h
Moto3™ (19 laps): 15h
As ever, entrance to the paddock will be free for the weekend. In addition, FIM CEV Repsol fans can pick up a pass on Sunday (from the security checkpoint at the main entrance of the Circuit) to join the Pit Lane walk that will take place before the start of racing.
In Spain, the races can be viewed live on the Movistar MotoGP channel which will broadcast all the races scheduled in the Moto3™ Junior World Championship, Moto2™ European Championship and Superbike European Championship categories. BT Sports (Great Britain) and Eurosport via Eurosportplayer (France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands) also offer coverage of the Moto3™ Junior World Championship, Moto2™ European Championship and Superbike European Championship with live broadcasts of each of the races through their digital network. In Italy, Sky will broadcast live both of the Moto3™ Junior World Championship and Moto2™European Championship races.
All the races can be seen live on the Championship’s Youtube channel.
All the results and information about the Championship is on the official website www.fimcevrepsol.com
Editorial Note:
American Jayson Uribe, riding his AGR Team Kalex, qualified 21st for the Moto2 European Championship race with a time of 1:38.840.
American Michael Aquino, riding his Team Stratos Ariane, was 32nd-fastest in Moto2 European Championship qualifying with a time of 1:41.682.
Gabriel Martinez, a Mexican citizen who resides and races in Texas, qualified 33rd for the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship race at Valencia with a lap time of 1:44.766 on his Motomax TM3 Mahindra.