FIM Moto2 World Championship
Silverstone Circuit, England
August 30, 2014
Qualifying Results (all using Honda engines and Dunlop tires):
1. Johann ZARCO, France (CATERHAM SUTER), 2:07.094
2. Mika KALLIO, Finland (KALEX), 2:07.467
3. Simone CORSI, Italy (KALEX), 2:07.487
4. Esteve “Tito” RABAT, Spain (KALEX), 2:07.632
5. Jonas FOLGER, Germany (KALEX), 2:07.906
6. Thomas LUTHI, Switzerland (SUTER), 2:07.979
7. Sam LOWES, UK (SPEED UP), 2:08.014
8. Maverick VIÑALES, Spain (KALEX), 2:08.055
9. Sandro CORTESE, Germany (KALEX), 2:08.102
10. Franco MORBIDELLI, Italy (KALEX), 2:08.123
11. Axel PONS, Spain (KALEX), 2:08.185
12. Takaaki NAKAGAMI, Japan (KALEX), 2:08.189
13. Julian SIMON, Spain (KALEX), 2:08.276
14. Mattia PASINI, Italy (KALEX), 2:08.301
15. Louis ROSSI, France (KALEX), 2:08.331
16. Luis SALOM, Spain (KALEX), 2:08.424
17. Xavier SIMEON, Belgium (SUTER), 2:08.433
18. Jordi TORRES, Spain (SUTER), 2:08.495
19. Dominique AEGERTER, Switzerland (SUTER), 2:08.516
20. Ricard CARDUS, Spain (TECH 3), 2:08.676
21. Hafizh SYAHRIN, Malaysia (KALEX), 2:08.697
22. Marcel SCHROTTER, Germany (TECH 3), 2:08.750
23. Lorenzo BALDASSARRI, Italy (SUTER), 2:08.770
24. Randy KRUMMENACHER, Switzerland (SUTER), 2:08.946
25. Anthony WEST, Australia (SPEED UP), 2:09.064
26. Gino REA, UK (SUTER), 2:09.134
27. Riccardo RUSSO, Italy (SUTER), 2:09.576
28. Josh HERRIN, USA (CATERHAM SUTER), 2:10.206
29. Roman RAMOS, Spain (SPEED UP), 2:10.228
30. Robin MULHAUSER, Switzerland (SUTER), 2:10.333
31. Azlan SHAH, Malaysia (KALEX), 2:10.381
32. Thitipong WAROKORN, Thailand (KALEX), 2:11.471
33. Dakota MAMOLA, Belgium (SUTER), 2:12.190
Not qualified (Out 107%) 2’15.990
34. Jeremy McWILLIAMS, UK (TAYLOR MADE), 2:16.102*
Not classified
35. Tetsuta NAGASHIMA, Japan (TSR), 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 AGT Rea Racing:
Silverstone Qualifying: Gino Rea runs off track hindering Saturday’s progress
After a promising performance during Free Practice 3 on Saturday, the AGT REA Racing team were disappointed not to improve during Moto2 Qualifying. Gino Rea ran off twice during the final minutes of the qualifying session, hindering his chances of going quicker. Rea comments on today’s events at his home Grand Prix.
“We started the day off well and closed the gap to the leaders in the first session. The qualifying started off well too and I was able to replicate my Free Practice 3 time on used tyres but we waited a bit too long to put in the new tyres. In the end with the new tyres, I made a few mistakes and ran off the track twice and in one of those incidents, I dropped the bike in the gravel. By the time I got back on I only had one lap left and in that lap I lost the front in the fast turn 12. I saved it on my elbow but slid for so long. I was really really lucky to stay on. It was probably one of my best saves. Anyway, I didn’t get a chance to go quicker which is a shame because I think we had the pace for the top 18 at least. I’m disappointed with the final result but I know we’ve got potential to be higher up. I need a good start tomorrow and to get away with the top 20 group.”
The AGT REA Racing team will line up for tomorrow’s British Grand Prix in 26th position. The Moto2 race from Silverstone is scheduled for 11.20am. Follow AGT REA Racing on Facebook www.facebook.com/AGTREARACING and Twitter @AGT_REA_Racing for live updates.
More, from a press release issued by NGM Mobile Forward Racing:
First row for Simone Corsi at Silverstone
It was a positive qualifying session for the NGM Forward Racing Team at Silverstone with Simone Corsi that proved once again to be a constant and fast rider. Despite the crash of this morning, Corsi found immediately the right confidence with his Kalex in the qualifying session.
Corsi set a superb 2.07.487, 0.393 from pole man Johann Zarco that secured him the third position on the grid and tomorrow the Italian will take the start of the British GP from the first row.
It was a more difficult qualifying session for his team mate Mattia Pasini, who finally finished in 14th position with a lap time of 2’08.301 and tomorrow will start from the 5th row.
Simone Corsi
“After the crash in the FP3, I’m really happy of the front row. The team had to work hard to repair the bike and have it ready for the qualifying and this result is the best way to thank all of them. For the first time this season I will take the start form the front row. I hope in a dry race as the weather is quiet uncertain here. I still have to choose the rear tyre but I’m confident for the race. We have a good pace and I aim at fighting for the podium”.
Mattia Pasini
“I’m not completely satisfied. Yesterday we started really well but today I couldn’t progress as I expected. We still need to choose the tyres for the race. We will analyse the data and we will continue working on the warm up to be ready for the race”.
More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing Team:
Front row for Kallio at Silverstone
Silverstone, Great Britain – 30 August 2014: Mika Kallio will start tomorrow’s British Grand Prix from the front row of the grid, after qualifying second fastest in difficult conditions this afternoon. Tito Rabat will head up the second row of the grid after encountering problems on the soft tyre in this afternoon’s timed session.
Kallio’s time came despite cold track temperatures and a lack of feedback from the tyres during the 45-minute session. The 31-year-old Finn and his crew will make further changes to the bike overnight, which they’ll test in warm up tomorrow, for which the weather forecast promises warmer conditions.
Rabat was disappointed with qualifying off the front row for the first time since the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez back in May. The 25-year-old Spaniard struggled to get the bike to work on the softer option tyre in the cold conditions of qualifying and, like his Marc VDS teammate, will make significant changes to the bike ahead of tomorrow’s 20-minute warm up session.
Electronic issues brought Jorge Navarro’s qualifying to a premature end today at Silverstone, with the 18-year-old Moto3 rider finishing the timed session in 26th position. Although facing a tough race from the ninth row of the grid, Navarro is hopeful of a good start and a points scoring finish in tomorrow’s race.
Mika Kallio // 2nd // 2’07.467
“After watching Tito disappear at Brno when I was on the second row of the grid, it’s good that the positions have been reversed here at Silverstone. The situation is different though, as the long straights here make it difficult to pull out a gap, as it’s so easy to slipstream, I think we’re going to see a group battle right to the end tomorrow. We still need to do some work with the bike, as I’m still not getting any feedback from the tyres in these cold conditions. It feels like we’re not able to get enough heat into the tyres, so we will try some changes in warm up tomorrow in a bid to improve this, as we race first tomorrow and the conditions may well be colder than this afternoon.”
Tito Rabat // 4th // 2’07.632
“I’m disappointed with qualifying, because I could have improved more in the session. At the beginning we went with the soft tyre, but the feeling was worse. We also stopped too many times in the session and I could do nothing. Tomorrow we will try to improve a little bit more the setting of the bike in warm up, because the race here is long.
Jorge Navarro // 26th // 2’15.405
“Today has been a very difficult day. In the morning my feeling was not so good, but at the start of qualifying I felt better with the bike, but I couldn’t make a good lap because of the traffic, as other riders cruising on track. I also made some mistakes and then the bike stopped due to a problem with the electronics when I was out on my last soft tyre. All I can do tomorrow is push.”
More, from a press release issued by AirAsia Caterham Moto2 Team:
Pole for Zarco at Silverstone
Circuit: Silverstone
Circuit Length: 3.666 miles
Bike # 5 – Johann Zarco
FP3: P10; 2’08.455 – 19 laps
Qualifying: P1; 2’07.094 – 15 laps
Bike # 2 – Josh Herrin
FP3: P28; 2’09.999 – 10 laps
Qualifying: P28; 2’10.206 – 17 laps
Weather
FP3: (Conditions) Dry; (air temp) 16°, (track temp) 21°
Qualifying: (Conditions) Dry; (air temp) 17°, (track temp) 23°
AirAsia Caterham Moto Racing rider Johann Zarco will start tomorrows British Grand Prix from pole position.
Continuing to impress the Frenchman immediately set the pace as qualifying began, leading the way with consistently fast laps and improving his pace throughout.
Team mate Josh Herrin had a more challenging day with a crash in free practice three prematurely ending his morning session and causing significant damage to the #2 Caterham Suter. Heading into qualifying the Moto2 rookie struggled to get back up to speed and will start tomorrow’s race from twenty eighth place.
#5 Johann Zarco: “Today has been very good. This morning we used the old tyres so I could not improve the lap time, but the team said to keep calm and that I was going fast. It was true because at the beginning of qualifying with new tyres I did suddenly a very good lap time. This allowed me to return to the box and breathe, calm down and then use strategy to again improve the lap time, which is exactly what I did.
“With consistency we are also fine compared to the others who are pushing. Tomorrow I hope to be fast as I was today, not easy but comfortable on the bike, to battle with the top group, stay with them until the end and fight for the podium, or victory if I can. I must stay with the top group and not make the same mistake I did at the beginning of the year.
“It’s good to have a good Saturday but it is even better to finish well on the Sunday; this is the most important day. So I’m happy now and tomorrow I will try to stay cool like I did today.”
#2 Josh Herrin: “This morning started well but I had to really push to do the time that I did but then we had the fall, which I’m not really sure why.
“Going into qualifying I felt good but I wasn’t able to string any laps together. I kept trying and then I’d make a mistake. I maybe just lost some focus during the session and couldn’t put anything together. It’s been a difficult day and I just want to put it behind me now and concentrate on the race; stay positive and hope that tomorrow is better.”
Team Manager – Johan Stigefelt: “We’ve had a really good weekend so far. We’ve been competitive from the start and we saw immediately from Johann that he was on the pace and going well.
“This weekend we have just been trying to stay calm and do our job like always, but we knew that this track suits Johann well. We tried to give him the best bike possible and it looks like we have. He looks very confident and calm when he rides and his lap time is very good.
“I’m very happy right now, to have the teams’ first pole and also Johann’s first pole ever in Moto2. It’s a proud moment to be at Caterhams’ home here in England. We just have to build on this for tomorrow. We must remember this is only qualifying and the most important thing is the race. We have to aim to do the best out of this pole and hope to finish with the best possible result.
“Regarding Josh we had an unfortunate crash this morning which damaged his bike quite badly. The guys worked hard to repair it and get him out for qualifying, but he wasn’t able to find the pace this afternoon. He was too unfocused and his lap time was up and down throughout the session, so we need to see what we can do for him tomorrow. P28 is not good enough and it’s not where he should be, so this is something that we have to work on.
“I just want to say thanks to Johann and the team for doing a fantastic job here today.”
More, from a press relase issued by QMMF Racing Team:
Difficult qualifying for West and Ramos – but hope for improvement in the race
After a promising first day of practice for the British Grand Prix, QMMF Racing Team riders Anthony West and Roman Ramos had more difficulties than expected when it counted on Saturday and had to settle for 25th and 29th place on the starting grid. Even though he was faster than on day one, West didn’t find a consistent rhythm in qualifying and lost a lot of time due to traffic on the track. Team-mate Ramos also fell short of his own expectations when he couldn’t improve his lap time as much as he had expected. But both riders are confident to make another step with the set-up and with their riding on the fast and challenging Silverstone track in the warm-up session on Sunday morning, with the aim to put up a fight and battle for a strong finish in the race.
Anthony West – 25th in 2.09,064
“It was a tough qualifying session. A lot of things went wrong, with my own riding and with other factors such as traffic on the track. I just couldn’t put a string of fast laps together. I tried to attack several times, but in the end, I was simply not fast enough for a better grid position. It will be tough to play catch up in the race, but we’ve done it before. With a good start, I still believe in our chances to score a strong result!”
Roman Ramos – 29th in 2.10,228
“I really wanted to do well, but unfortunately, things didn’t work out as well as yesterday. I thought we could get a better starting position, but I was only able to improve my lap time by a mere tenth of a second in comparison to the third free practice session. Now it’s important to be strong and to work on improvements to the bike and my riding in the warm-up session on Sunday morning. I want to thank my team for all the hard work they’ve put in and I really want to reward them with a good race result that they deserve as much as I do!”