FIM Moto2 World Championship
Jerez, Spain
May 3, 2014
Qualifying Results (all using Honda engines and Dunlop tires):
1. Mika KALLIO, Finland (KALEX), 1:42.766
2. Sandro CORTESE, Germany (KALEX), 1:43.060
3. Luis SALOM, Spain (KALEX), 1:43.174
4. Thomas LUTHI, Switzerland (SUTER), 1:43.222
5. Dominique AEGERTER, Switzerland (SUTER), 1:43.232
6. Esteve “Tito” RABAT, Spain (KALEX), 1:43.234
7. Jonas FOLGER, Germany (KALEX), 1:43.235
8. Maverick VIÑALES, Spain (KALEX), 1:43.256
9. Marcel SCHROTTER, Germany (TECH 3), 1:43.501
10. Johann ZARCO, France (CATERHAM SUTER), 1:43.513
11. Simone CORSI, Italy (FORWARD KLX), 1:43.569
12. Xavier SIMEON, Belgium (SUTER), 1:43.615
13. Takaaki NAKAGAMI, Japan (KALEX), 1:43.625
14. Ricard CARDUS, Spain (TECH 3), 1:43.648
15. Sam LOWES, UK (SPEED UP), 1:43.664
16. Julian SIMON, Spain (KALEX), 1:43.716
17. Ratthapark WILAIROT, Thailand (CATERHAM SUTER), 1:43.775
18. Mattia PASINI, Italy (FORWARD KLX), 1:43.826
19. Alex DE ANGELIS, San Marino (SUTER), 1:43.951
20. Lorenzo BALDASSARRI, Italy (SUTER), 1:43.978
21. Louis ROSSI, France (KALEX), 1:44.033
22. Jordi TORRES, Spain (SUTER), 1:44.240
23. Franco MORBIDELLI, Italy (KALEX), 1:44.395
24. Anthony WEST, Australia (SPEED UP), 1:44.438
25. Randy KRUMMENACHER, Switzerland (SUTER), 1:44.476
26. Hafizh SYAHRIN, Malaysia (KALEX), 1:44.563
27. Gino REA, UK (SUTER), 1:44.606
28. Axel PONS, Spain (KALEX), 1:44.658
29. Tetsuta NAGASHIMA, Japan (TSR), 1:45.112
30. Robin MULHAUSER, Switzerland (SUTER), 1:45.358
31. Azlan SHAH, Malaysia (KALEX), 1:45.511
32. Thitipong WAROKORN, Thailand (KALEX), 1:45.606
33. Roman RAMOS, Spain (SPEED UP), 1:45.634
34. Edgar PONS, Spain (KALEX), 1:45.652
35. Nicolas TEROL, Spain (SUTER), no time recorded*
* Have qualified for the race having achieved a time within 107 % of the fastest rider in a free practice session.
More, from a press release issued by AirAsia Caterham Moto2 Team:
Mixed Emotions for AirAsia Caterham Moto Racing in Jerez Qualifying
Circuit: Circuito de Jerez
Circuit Length: 4.423 m
Bike # 5 – Johann Zarco
FP3: P12; 1’43.466 – 18 laps
Qualifying: P10; 1:43.513 – 17 laps
Bike # 14 – Ratthapark Wilairot
FP3: P17; 1’43.667 – 18 laps
Qualifying: P17; 1:43.775 – 18 laps
Weather
FP3: (Conditions) Dry; (air temp) 25°, (track temp) 23°
Qualifying: (Conditions) Dry; (air temp) 30°, (track temp) 52°
The sun once again blazed down on the Spanish circuit as the Moto2 field headed out for Qualifying.
Continuing to impress substitute rider Ratthapark Wilairot improved his time again in FP3 moving into the 1m43s and finishing his first qualifying session with the AirAsia Caterham Moto Racing Team in 17th place.
Johann Zarco worked hard to improve his time around the Circuit of Jerez and despite being unable to further his P10 position, the Frenchman was one of only a few able to better his time in the final moments of Qualifying in increasingly difficult conditions.
#5 Johann Zarco:
“Tenth position is not great but for sure the main thing is the race tomorrow. Almost every session I was further back than I have been this year but I was not worried because I’m riding well and I thought it would be possible to further improve the setting today. We made some adjustments step by step but the lap time was not coming so it looks like something is still missing. The technical side are working hard to find the solution.”
“I’m disappointed with my position today but I don’t have to spend too much energy on the bike and I feel comfortable which is very positive. I would like to stay with the top group tomorrow and I think with a good start I can do it.”
#14 Ratthapark Wilairot:
“We are seventeenth position and I am very happy because this is the first time for everything with me and the team. We are ready for tomorrow because we have a good set-up on the bike and I feel very confident with the braking.
“Today was very hot, more than yesterday and our plan worked well as I pushed from the beginning because as the temperatures continue to increase it’s so difficult to make a lap time. I tried also in the last minutes to better my time but was unable to.
“Tomorrow my aim is to get a good start and finish the race in the points.”
Johan Stigefelt – Team Manager:
“For Johann this weekend hasn’t gone quite as we had hoped for but we are working hard to improve things and the race pace is actually not that bad. It’s just been a bit frustrating for him as we were not able to get his qualifying time but we are quite confident and will continue working on this tomorrow morning in warm up.
“It’s very tough conditions here with the heat but it’s the same for everyone of course. We believe we have a good race set up and we will do our best for the race.
“It’s been incredible to see how well Ratthapark Wilairot has approached this opportunity. He’s very calm and great to work with and I’m very happy with his performance. To finish P17 in his first qualifying after being absent from Moto2 for over one year is very good in this field and also to do his best lap time ever here in Jerez. He’s confident with the bike so we will see tomorrow; hopefully he can get a good start and stay within the top fifteen.”
More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing Team:
Kallio takes pole position at Jerez
Jerez, Spain – 3 May 2014: Mika Kallio maintained the Marc VDS Racing Team’s perfect qualifying record today by taking pole position for tomorrow’s Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. Tito Rabat will start his home race from the second row after qualifying in sixth position this afternoon.
The blistering conditions at Jerez meant the rear tyre was only good for two flying laps and, with only three of his preferred tyres available, Kallio knew he only had a six lap window to set a qualifying time. The Finn was fast from his first run, but it was on his final tyre that he put in an almost perfect lap to break the 1’43 barrier, the only rider to do so, and to take his first pole position of the season.
Tito Rabat lost valuable track time after an engine failure forced him to sit out most of this morning’s final free practice session. The championship leader could climb no higher than sixth in this afternoon’s qualifying session, but is confident that he can fight for the race win from the second row of the grid tomorrow.
After the highs of Argentina just one week ago, the Marc VDS Racing Team’s Moto3 rider, Livio Loi, experienced the lows of racing this afternoon at Jerez. The 17-year-old Belgian struggled with a lack of rear traction throughout his 40-minute qualifying session, leaving him facing a start from 24th position on the grid tomorrow.
Mika Kallio // Pole Position // 1’42.766
““Today we had a really good plan, both with the tyres and with the timing of our runs. We saw yesterday that my times were good when we threw in a set of new tyres, but we also saw that we were getting maximum grip from the tyre for only two quick laps. Normally I like to build up over a five or six lap run, but that wasn’t possible today. I had to push from the start of each run, because the time had to come in this two-lap window. Mentally, that’s quite tough, but to manage it without a mistake on my flying laps makes this pole position even more satisfying. The team has done a great job with the bike and I think we have a really good chance in the race tomorrow.”
Tito Rabat // 6th // 1’43.234
“I’m not so happy for today, because obviously I wanted to qualify higher up the grid for my home race, but it’s not always possible. In the end we made not such a bad result with sixth place, so we’ll start tomorrow from the second row of the grid. We need to make some small improvements in warm up, as we lost some time with the engine problem this morning, but the plan, like always, is to fight to win in the race tomorrow.”
Livio Loi // 24th // 1’48.091
“Qualifying today was nothing short of a disaster. I had no rear traction at all; every time I tried to get on the gas the rear just tried to come round on me. I was losing time in every single corner and it was pretty scary in the faster turns here at Jerez. I don’t know why it should have been so bad, but we need to find a solution for tomorrow. For sure the hot conditions didn’t help us today, so it would be good if conditions tomorrow were a little cooler for the race.”
Naoya Kaneko // Chief Mechanic, Mika Kallio
“Pole position here feels better than the last one in Motegi, because this one was done in dry conditions and Mika proved that he could be faster in qualifying, which is one of the areas in which we’ve worked hard to improve. We had a strategy for qualifying, but Mika was very focused today and gave the maximum that was possible with the machine in the six-lap window we had. If we can keep like this in the race, which is our plan, then he can be in a good position and we can maybe open up the championship a little more.”
More, from a press release issued by NGM Mobile Forward Racing:
Difficult qualifying for the NGM Forward Racing at Jerez
It was a difficult qualifying session for the NGM Forward Racing Team on the technical track of the Jerez de la Frontera. Simone Corsi and Mattia Pasini were both sick and couldn’t repeat the strong qualifying as in Termas de Rio Honda and tomorrow they will take the start of the Spanish GP from the 11th and the 18th position of the grid.
In the morning Simone closed with a promising 7th position, only 4 tenths from the virtual pole position but he could make only 3 laps, because he was not feeling well. In the qualifying he gave his best and set a good 1’43.569, finishing in the 11th position.
It was a hard day of work also for Mattia Pasini, who tried to close the gap with the front guys after the crash in the FP1. Mattia tried to recover today and finished with the 18th best lap time (1.43.826).
Simone Corsi:
“I expected a better result for the qualifying. This morning I had a good feeling but I could only complete 3 laps as I was not feeling well. I’m still not 100%, but I’m trying to recover for tomorrow. I will try to make a good start and stay with the front guys.”
Mattia Pasini:
“We missed yesterday’s morning session due to my crash, so I tried to recover and I am not completely satisfied of today’s qualifying. We worked on the set up and changed some settings but the hot temperatures made things even more complicated. We struggled as the bike gets up to temperature quickly and at the end of the session it was impossible to improve my lap time. All in all I’m positive for the race, I’m quiet satisfied with my pace and I will try to get a good result.”
More, from a press release issued by QMMF Racing:
Search for a better set-up continues for West and Ramos
In hot conditions with 30 degree air and 52 degree track temperature, QMMF Racing Team riders Anthony West and Román Ramos qualified in 24th and 33rd position for the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday. Both tried everything possible to improve set-up and tyre grip of their Speed Up prototypes, but there is still plenty of work left to do in the Sunday morning warm-up session. Since the Moto2 race will be started at 12.20 h local time, much earlier in the day than qualifying, the conditions will be different again, fuelling the hope of both riders to be able to achieve their goals.
Anthony West – 24th in 1.44,438
“We struggled with grip since the beginning of the season and finally got on top of it in Argentina, where we got the bike working quite well. But here it became difficult to ride again. We have done everything to try and get grip out of the bike, but in these hot conditions it was nearly impossible. It’s been really hard to ride the bike all day, I kept losing the front and almost crashed every lap. We compared an old rear tyre that had done 25 laps with a new one, but it hardly made any difference. Honestly, I am not sure what to do for tomorrow. We are in a bad position, I don’t have grip and the bike is not turning very well either!”
Roman Ramos – 33rd in 1.45,634
“So far, it has been a difficult weekend. We are struggling to find the right set-up for my bike and I’ve been suffering a lot, especially in the heat. All we can do is keep trying to find a solution for the race tomorrow. We will go through all our data again and see what we can come up with. My goal for the race remains the same: I want to be able to put up a fight with some of the other riders and achieve the best possible result!”