Magnificent Vinales storms to first pole of 2019 season

Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) last night settled the debate on the season’s first pole position by producing the fastest time in Q2 of the VisitQatar Grand Prix under lights at Losail International Circuit (LIC).

Winner of five MotoGP Grands Prix in his young career, Vinales clocked 1:53.546 around the 5.38km circuit, just 0.198 faster than Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) as Formula One star and world champion Lewis Hamilton watched from the pits.

The reigning world champion,  Spain’s Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) claimed the third fastest time of 1’53.745 to finish a mere 0.001 slower than off Ducati star Dovizioso.

“I felt very good, in FP4 we changed some things that worked, I felt strong and this was important,” Vinales said after the qualifying session. “Already straight away I did 53 so I felt really good and in second time attack I just give my best,” he added.

“We are bringing the bike on the limit all the time and that’s really positive. Still we have to improve, (but) I think the way I’m riding is the best Maverick in these three seasons (ie at Yamaha Factory Racing). Last corner, we are pretty slow, but we have two opponents that they make their best top speed.

“I think we have really good rhythm but honestly, I’m pretty sure that we can do it good,” he was quoted as saying in a post on speedcafe.com

The first qualifying session of the year didn’t disappoint, but it was a game of follow the leader to start with as Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) led Marquez and a host of other riders onto the first flying lap, with the bunch all backing out after the first corner.

One rider who didn’t sacrifice his opening lap though was 19-year-old Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as the rookie shot to the top of the times, only to be beaten almost immediately by Q1 graduate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu).

However, Vinales then stormed to the summit with a lap that was 0.741 quicker than anyone else, with Quartararo and Nakagami exchanging second fastest laps to leave the Japanese rider 0.395 off as the field headed in for a change of tyres. Quartararo, Dovizioso, Marquez and Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) were all 0.4 off the Spaniard at this point.

Vinales led the troops back out for their second runs and the Yamaha rider moved the goalposts once more. Three more tenths were shaved off his best time, with Miller slotting into P2 – 0.2 off. The Australian then crashed at Turn 2 to end his hopes of pole, with Dovi making a move into second place soon after.

Dovizioso then looked set to challenge Vinales again as he went over a tenth under after the first split, but the Italian was suddenly over two seconds off in the second sector – Dovi’s qualifying effort over.

Attention then turned to Marquez, who was on the tailpipes of Petrucci as neither sat on the provisional front row with little time left. The reigning World Champion was able to snatch P3 from Miller as he and ‘Petrux’ fired past the finish line in tandem, 0.001 was the gap to Dovi as Miller misses out on a front row start by 0.064.

Fabulous Fabio will launch from the middle of the second row in his first MotoGP race, a fine effort from the 19-year-old in Q2, with Q1 pace setter Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) climbing up to P6 on his final flying lap – 0.549 the gap to Viñales.

Petrucci would end P7, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) joining his compatriot on the third row for his best premier class qualifying result. Nakagami settled for ninth after a great Q1 and Q2, with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) completing the top 10 in Qatar.

Rins’ team-mate Joan Mir will begin his maiden MotoGP race from P11, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) P12 in Q2.

Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and fellow multiple World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) will line up in P14 and P15 respectively. A huge battle is on their hands if they are going to challenge for a large point haul.