Italian MotoGP: Fabio Quartararo makes it four poles in a row

It’s four pole positions in a row for Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo thanks to a stunning 1: 45.187 in qualifying at the Italian MotoGP. 

A unusual lap tale enabled the World Championship leader to fend off closest rival, Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia on Saturday afternoon. 

Third-placed Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), left it late to seal a front row start in P3 as the 2 Ducatis hunt the Yamaha intently.

The pinnacle three in the Championship will sit 1-2-3 on the Mugello start line for Spherical 6 of the season, with Aprilia’s Espargaro claiming his easiest Saturday outcome of the season to spearhead Row 2. Jack Miller will be hoping he can slipstream his way to the front when the lights exit on Sunday, P5 for the Aussie, with South Africa’s Brad Binder leading the way for KTM in sixth.

Tempers fray in Q1

The opening 15 minutes of qualifying saw Yamaha’s other title hopeful Maverick Viñales left with loads of labor to terminate in declare to accumulate into the pole position fight at Mugello, with the likes of Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) joining him. It was Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) who led the way, with Viñales getting frustrated with Marc Marquez as the eight-time World Champion bent himself onto the back wheel of the Yamaha.

Marc Marquez, in the slipstream of Viñales, went P1 as the latter placed P2, outdated to Aleix Espargaro then climbed to P2. This meant Viñales crucial to find time on his final lap, and he was thru the third sector as the quickest man, nevertheless a mistake at the final nook cost the Spaniard. Marc Marquez and Aleix Espargaro headed into Q2, Viñales will start P13.

ITALIAN MOTOGP, MUGELLO – FULL QUALIFYING RESULTS