MotoGP – 2020 Andalucia GP – QUALIFYING

The Angel Nieto circuit is set for a historic double header, with the second week in a row at Jerez de la frontera. A track that had shown strong performance for Yamaha bikes, but has been a headache for Ducati for these two weeks.
Q1 started remarking some riders making an attempt to get on the bike after a suffered injury. Like Cal Crutchlow coming from a last year fracture at phillip Island, Alex Rins with a shoulder Injury at last week Q2 and Marc Marquez who had a arm fracture less than a week ago. Some other riders were struggling to found pace at the bike, like Andrea Dovizioso and Johann Zarco.
First stint was lead by Red Bull KTM Tech 3 rider Miguel Oliveira and the Petronas Yamaha of Franco Morbidelli, both showing great potential against the first qualy group. Eventually Marc Marquez went back to the garage as the arm fracture was still causing some pain at the Spaniard. still a great effort from the Cervera rider after the last week´s crash. Even with some strong attempts from Dovizioso and Crutchlow, both couldn´t make their way to Q2. Oliveira and Morbidelli sealed a place for a top spot battle.
Q1 results:
13. Cal Crutchlow // 14. Andrea Dovizioso // 15. Johann Zarco
16. Aleix Espargaró // 17. Iker Lecuona
18. Tito Rabat // 19. Bradley Smith
20. Álex Rins // 21. Álex Márquez
DNF: Marc Márquez
Next it was the front spot battle, with many contenders that even could a maiden pole position. Viñales started strong at first stint, with Bagnaia, Quartararo, and rookie relevation Brad Binder at the top 4 of the grid, many movements were showed at the middle pack as Mir, Rossi, Pol Espargaro, Miller, Morbidelli and Nakagami showed good lap times.
Second stint was on track and it slowly become a 2-man battle for pole between Quartararo and Viñales. Both getting closer to the lower 1:36s, as Quartararo ended with a 1:37:007, the door was still open for a strong lap, as Viñales pushed to the limit at the last attempt and did a 1:36:902, but that lap was invalidaded because Maverick exceded track limit at turn 7, demoting him to 2nd place at the grid, as Quartararo clinched a carrer 8th pole position and 4th in a row if last 2 Qualy sessions of 2019 are considered. Bagnaia ended as the highest Ducati on 3rd place, with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi 4th, a strong result for Miguel Oliveira at 5th place and Franco Morbidelli closing the second row at 6th.
Q2 results:
1. Fabio Quartararo // 2. Maverick Viñales // 3. Francesco Bagnaia
4. Valentino Rossi // 5. Miguel Oliveira // 6. Franco Morbidelli
7. Jack Miller // 8. Takaaki Nakagami // 9. Brad Binder
10. Joan Mir // 11. Danilo Petrucci // 12. Pol Espargaró
Qualy is set for a close race for tomorrow, as a unexpected season has bring unexpected outcomes, with Marc Marquez missing the next race of the calendar, many riders could take advantage of the reigning champion and increase a standings gap on a calendar with evident less rounds to dispute.