FIM Moto2 World Championship Mugello, Italy June 1, 2013 Qualifying Results (all using Honda engines and Dunlop tires): 1. Scott REDDING, UK (KALEX), 1:52.958 2. Takaaki NAKAGAMI, Japan (KALEX), 1:53.123 3. Marcel SCHROTTER, Germany (KALEX), 1:53.221 4. Johann ZARCO, France (SUTER), 1:53.278 5. Nicolas TEROL, Spain (SUTER), 1:53.368 6. Esteve RABAT, Spain (KALEX), 1:53.383 7. Xavier SIMEON, Belgium (KALEX), 1:53.459 8. Alex DE ANGELIS, San Marino (SPEED UP), 1:53.466 9. Jordi TORRES, Spain (SUTER), 1:53.611 10. Pol ESPARGARO, Spain (KALEX), 1:53.678 11. Simone CORSI, Italy (SPEED UP), 1:53.708 12. Thomas LUTHI, Switzerland (SUTER), 1:53.885 13. Mika KALLIO, Finland (KALEX), 1:53.910 14. Dominique AEGERTER, Switzerland (SUTER), 1:53.962 15. Sandro CORTESE, Germany (KALEX), 1:53.971 16. Randy KRUMMENACHER, Switzerland (SUTER), 1:54.019 17. Julian SIMON, Spain (KALEX), 1:54.152 18. Axel PONS, Spain (KALEX), 1:54.232 19. Mattia PASINI, Italy (SPEED UP), 1:54.395 20. Mike DI MEGLIO, France (MOTOBI), 1:54.399 21. Toni ELIAS, Spain (KALEX), 1:54.621 22. Ratthapark WILAIROT, Thailand (SUTER), 1:54.630 23. Anthony WEST, Australia (SPEED UP), 1:54.721 24. Louis ROSSI, France (TECH 3), 1:54.865 25. Ricard CARDUS, Spain (SPEED UP), 1:54.922 26. Danny KENT, UK (TECH 3), 1:55.050 27. Doni Tata PRADITA, Indonesia (SUTER), 1:55.416 28. Yuki TAKAHASHI, Japan (MORIWAKI), 1:55.454 29. Steven ODENDAAL, South Africa (SPEED UP), 1:55.496 30. Alberto MONCAYO, Spain (SPEED UP), 1:55.677 31. Kyle SMITH, UK (KALEX), 1:55.921 32. Rafid Topan SUCIPTO, Indonesia (SPEED UP), 1:57.055 More, from a press release issued by MAPFRE Aspar Team: MAPFRE ASPAR RIDERS ON SECOND AND THIRD ROW Nico Terol is fifth and just four tenths off pole, whilst Jordi Torres is ninth, sixth tenths down This has been one of the most open Moto2 GP weekends of the season so far with several different riders from the intermediate class each taking their turn in the spotlight. The morning session and the opening laps saw various riders asserting themselves with everyone chasing the same goals. Mugello’s long straight mean that using slipstreams is crucial here and often it is unclear who will finish in the respective podium positions until they are right on the finishing line. Redding was the mano n pole today with Nakagami not far behind him. Terol, Rabat and Schrotter were not far away and the top 14 are split by just one second, with a great race expected on Sunday. MAPFRE Aspar’s Nico Terol qualified fifth and is pleased with his day’s work. He has a good podium chance given his practice pace. The Spaniard was just four tenths off pole and were it not for a slight slip in the third sector his best time would have been even quicker. He was the best Spanish rider on day two and the recent wind testing helped him to register the Moto2 top speed on Saturday (286.3 km/h). His teammate Jordi Torres also had a good day, improving at the end of free practice. A defectious rear tyre slowed him down, but he went back onto a previously used tyre to qualify on the third row. 5th Nico Terol 1.53.368 (20 laps): “I’m pretty satisfied with the feeling from today as we worked hard to improve consistently. As a result I was able to string together a series of 1.53 laps which is great news for the race, which is going to be long and hard. We need to save our tyres for the last laps. I wanted to be on the front row but either of the first two rows is ok. We worked on our performance on the hard front tyre and it was good, but there is more work to do in the warm-up on set-up. The team works constantly though and that’s why we’re getting better in every single session. The race will be about groups of riders and some are quicker than us but let’s see how it pans out towards the end. I’m ready for a good battle.” 9th Jordi Torres 1.53.611 (17 laps): “The good thing about today is that after going backwards on Friday afternoon we sorted it out on Saturday. We took a risk this morning and it paid off. That meant we had a good set-up for qualifying and that gave us confidence. I felt good on the brakes and we had good grip when on the corner apex. In the afternoon we went out for a look and then came back to change the tyres, but then the feeling was strange on the rear and the tyre was defectious. So we went back onto an older tyre and were able to push hard to get ninth place. I’m pleased because I made my best laps riding alone and tomorrow I want to ride in a group in order to see what the slipstreams will give us”. More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing Team: Mugello, Italy – 1 June 2013: Scott Redding will start tomorrow’s Italian Moto2 Grand Prix from pole position, after bouncing back – quite literally – from a session ending crash during final free practice this morning. Mika Kallio qualified 13th, despite continuing issues with the set-up of his Kalex Moto2 machine. Redding started the day in spectacular fashion by launching his bike into the gravel trap just three laps into the final free practice session. While the 20-year-old Briton walked away uninjured, the bike was almost completely destroyed after somersaulting up the track. As a result, Redding sat out the remainder of the session, as his mechanics worked to rebuild the engine into a new frame for qualifying. With his confidence undented by the crash, Redding was immediately on the pace in the 45-minute qualifying session, improving his lap time with every exit and eventually securing his second pole position of the season as the session came to a close. Mika Kallio continued to struggle with the bike trying to sit up while trail braking into the corners, although minor set-up changes ahead of qualifying did result in a small improvement. The 30-year-old Finn did what he could to ride around the problem but the time lost, especially through the chicanes, meant he was unable to qualify higher than 13th today. The handling issues that had plagued Livio Loi throughout free practice at Mugello continued to cause problems for the 16-year-old Belgian in today’s 40-minute Moto3 qualifying session. Loi was disappointed to qualify only 30th for tomorrow’s 20-lap Moto3 race, which he will start from the tenth row of the grid. Scott Redding #45: Pole Position – 1’52.958 “I wasn’t really expecting pole today, especially after the crash this morning. While it was a small crash for me, the same wasn’t true of the bike, which was pretty much wrecked. I have to say a big thank you to my mechanics, but also to Mika’s, as they all pitched in to get me a new bike built up for qualifying. After two laps I’d forgotten about this morning completely, despite a bit of a moment in the same place early on. The new bike felt better than the previous one, after a few set-up changes ahead of qualifying, so I was able to find a good rhythm straight away. Then it was just a case of staying out of the way and picking off the laps. I’m happy to be on pole for the second time this season, but now we need to focus on the race.” Mika Kallio #36: 13th – 1’53.910 “All weekend I’ve had the same problem on corner entry; the bike feels like it’s pushing from the rear and trying to stand up when you trail brake into the turn. We made some changes ahead of qualifying, which made a small improvement, but the problem was still there and I couldn’t ride around it. We still need to find something for the race, which means we’d have to evaluate any changes in warm up, but sometimes that’s just how it is. Tomorrow in the race I need do the same as in Le Mans; get a good start and then make up as many places in the opening laps as I can.” Livio Loi #11: 30th – 2’00.865 “It was impossible to find a good rhythm in qualifying because the bike just wouldn’t do what I was asking of it; it was like it had a mind of its own! Now we need to put the work in to improve things for tomorrow. We know we’re not going to stumble on the perfect set-up for the bike, but we need to find at least a neutral setting so that I am in control of the bike, rather than the other way around. If we can do this, then all is not lost and a points scoring finish remains a possibility. If we don’t manage it then those 20-laps tomorrow are going to feel more like 50!” Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal “It’s been a tough weekend so far for Mika and Livio, with both of them struggling to find a solution to the problems they’re experiencing on track. It’s been doubly hard for Livio because, while Mika has a lot of experience and has been in this situation before, for Livio it’s all new. We have some ideas to help them both, which we’ll test during warm up tomorrow and I know they’ll give everything in the race, like always. Scott impressed me once again today, coming back from such a big crash and the loss of a whole practice session to take his second pole of the season. I’m sure some of his rivals were left scratching their heads after that performance, as well they might. Tomorrow’s race promises to be yet another tough one, but we go into it with some confidence. I’d also like to say a big thank you to all our mechanics, who did a superb job to build a new bike from scratch after Scott launched his into low earth orbit this morning!” More, from a press release issued by NGM Mobile Forward Racing: De Angelis and Corsi will fight for top positions at Mugello after a positive qualifying The qualifying session for the NGM Mobile Forward Racing riders and their SpeedUp bike at Mugello comes to an end. Very good qualifying results for Alex De Angelis and Simone Corsi finishing in eighth and eleventh place respectively, allowing them a chance to fight for the top positions in tomorrow race at Mugello. A little further down the grid are teammates Mattia Pasini and Ricky Cardús ending the session in nineteenth and twenty-fifth place after suffering a series of crashes. Both riders remain confident and will fight to make a strong comeback. Simone Corsi “I expected to do better during this qualifying session but I will need to star the race from the fourth row. The feeling with the bike is very good; I was fast in the first, second and forth sectors of the track and lose half a second on the third sector, we have to analyze the data in order to understand what the problem is. The race tomorrow will be long and at Mugello I have always be able to do well and make good comebacks, which means that the most important thing for me will be the start of the race. I hope for a dry race.” Alex De Angelis “Up until now I am satisfied of how the weekend has gone so far: we are fast even with the used tires, but do not have the top speed that we are used to. Tomorrow we will work on getting that extra something that a track like this requires. The feeling with the bike is good and I hope my crew will be able to give me for tomorrow that little extra something that will make all the difference. We are all close in the lap times and the smallest of modifications could make the difference. The goal for tomorrow is to do the best result of the season so far.” Mattia Pasini “I am not satisfied at all with today’s result. I had several problems that made me slip twice. We have to try and understand where we have made a mistake in both the riding and the setting of the bike. We need to really understand the reason why it happened in order to be in the best possible conditions for tomorrow’s race. It has been a bad day.” Ricard Cardus “It hasn’t been an easy weekend up to know, I feel the same way I did in Jerez. This is a difficult track that at the same time I enjoy but that for some reason doesn’t seem to be working for my riding style. I will have to be very focused tomorrow and at the same time enjoy myself during the race and everything will fall into place.” More, from a press release issued by QMMF Racing Team: QMMF Racing Team rider Anthony West made further progress with the new chassis on his Speed Up prototype and is gaining confidence, especially with front end grip. But two days of practice, interrupted by a clutch problem on Friday afternoon that cost valuable track time, simply wasn’t enough to find the best possible set-up for his revised bike. Therefore, West had to settle for 23rd position on the starting grid, with strong expectations of further improvement in the race on Sunday. Team-mate Rafid Topan Sucipto got valuable help on Friday afternoon and today, when former motorcycle racer Bernie Hatton, an Australian friend and personal trainer of Anthony West, went to the trackside and discussed his observations with the Indonesian Grand Prix rookie. With Hattons input and certain improvements to both his set-up and riding style, Sucipto went more than two seconds faster than on day one. His progress came to an abrupt end in qualifying, when he crashed halfway through the session after grabbing a fresh set of tyres. Anthony West – 23rd in 1.55,706 “Yesterday, we decided to change the chassis and risk to try something new. I think it’s definitely something that’s going to be an improvement, but right now, we haven’t found the perfect set-up for it yet. I am a little bit confused about how to ride the bike the right way and I am a little disappointed in myself for not finding the best riding style for the new chassis straight away. It’s the first time I felt really good with the front, but I just need to learn to ride the bike better. I think we will continue to use the new chassis, we just need to work on it and try to get confidence in what the bike can and can’t do. I hope we will be able to do a good race tomorrow!” Rafid Topan Sucipto – 32nd in 1.57,055 “We made a lot of progress today and I managed to improve my lap time by more than two seconds, which is good. Unfortunately, I had a crash half way through the qualifying session when I went out with new tyres and lost the front. It’s a pity because I’m sure I could have gone faster. I hope I can improve further in the race!” More, from a press release issued by ItalTrans/AGP Racing: Five GPs, five times on the front line. Takaaki Nakagami doesn’t miss a single chance. Tomorrow the young Japanese will start from the center of the first row, confident that his pace is very fast – in qualifying, he clocked four laps in a low 1’53. His team-mate, Julian Simon, is slightly more than a second from the pole and, with 20 riders within one second and half, he set the seventeenth time. Takaaki Nakagami (1’53”123 – 2nd ) “All the weekend, we have been able to be fast and constant. We can improve even more, especially as far as my feeling is concerned, and must do, because all the top guys will do a step ahead, for the race. To be on the front row is of the utmost importance – we can fight for a podium, and will do our best to get it”. Claudio Macciotta (Nakagami race engineer) “As we often do, considering that Takaaki is able to get very fast time easily, we have worked in qualifying testing also different solutions and collecting data for the race. We are satisfied by our set up, even if it is not perfect, yet. Tomorrow, if Takaaki can manage the race, he can get a remarkable result”. Julian Simon (1’54”152 – 17th ) “It has not been a great qualifying, unfortunately. I could not make the best use of my new tires. In the dying moments, two riders crashed just in front of me, and in ten minutes I had just once a chance for a fast lap. We tested several solutions, but have not been able to improve my feeling with the front as we would, to be more confident. We will have a further chance tomorrow, in the warm-up, and will try to make the best of it”. Pierluigi Aldrovandi (Simon race engineer) “Unfortunately, in spite of the several attempt done, we have not been able to find yet a front set-up that Julian can enjoy. That’ the problem”. Luigi Pansera (Team manager) “The team is doing a great job. Our results are of a good level, and constant. Having missed the pole is not that important, for the race, while being always on the front row allows the team to work at every GP at high level. We think we can target an important result”. More, from a press release issued by Blusens Avintia Team: Tomorrow will be time for a comeback of Toni Elías and Kyle Smith who will begin very delayed on the grid after a complicated qualifying session Mugello, 1 June 2013.It has not been a good day for the Blusens Avintia Moto2 team because neither Toni Elías nor Kyle Smith have been able to achieve their goals at the difficult, but beautiful, Italian track of Mugello. Toni did not find the setting up needed to feel at ease and when he tried to do his best lap, he did it with traffic on the track. At a circuit as quick as the Mugello one, it is important to be well positioned in the first laps, so Toni will have to do a good start to try to be with the group. Kyle was not able to get his aim either. His objective was to be, at least, on the top twenty but he did his worst qualifying session of the season so far. The Blusens Avintia Moto2 team trusts that both riders will do a good start and have options to finish the race in higher positions. Unfortunately all the components of the Avintia Racing team wear a black ribbon to commemorate one of the members of the Avintia Group. Antonio Martín (Avintia Group President and Avintia Racing Team co-owner): Unfortunately for us this GP is marked by the loss of Esteban Rodríguez Ricote, a person who has been part of the living history of Avintia. Thanks to people like him, with his enthusiasm, commitment and passion, the Avintia project has come to life. We will always remember him as an example for all those who were lucky to know him. On behalf of Avintia, Avintia Racing and on my own, I want to convey a message of affection to his family and friends. 24 Toni Elías (21st, 1.54.621): The truth is that I expected to be higher, but I am where I am and I have to think about tomorrow’s race. I have been in a group in which we have ridden as if we were in a race instead of in a qualifying session. None of us has been able to improve our lap times in the last eight minutes and we have not been able to do more. With a qualifying as this one, I will have to start very well, do a good first lap and give everything. It is clear that I do not have a pace to win the race, but if the main group does not escape, all can happen. 9 Kyle Smith (31st, 1.55.921): I do not know what is going on because I am comfortable at the circuit, I have the feeling of riding very quickly but I do not achieve the lap times desired and I am further back than ever. Something is wrong because I think that I can be higher but I do not get it. Tomorrow I have to begin well and try to be with the group to manage to learn things that might allow me to go faster. The truth is that right now I am a little lost and surprised because I would tell you that on this track I feel very at ease, better than on another ones of this year, but still I am very delayed. Tomorrow we will see what happens.