Moto GP : Dani Pedrosa snatches pole position and posts new lap record at Mugello

from Twowheelsblog

It seemed that Jorge Lorenzo was on his way to take the pole position ahead of the Italian GP at the Mugello, but Dani Pedrosa pulled out a stunning last flying lap - after giving Andrea Dovizioso hell (the Ducati rider waited to use him as tow) - to pip and demote the Yamaha rider to second by just 0.069s and conquer his first pole position of the season and also break the 2012 circuit lap record which he also held.

Andrea Dovizioso took his second front row start after Le Mans, qualifying third in Ducati’s home race despite his sore neck (Hector Barbera qualified in the same position at Mugello last season)and using Bradl as reference point he demoted Cal Cruthlow to fourth by a mere 0.004s. The Yamaha Tech3 rider crashed out at the Borgo San Lorenzo a little more than halfway through the 15 minute QP2, and then returned to track with his spare bike to score an impressive fourth spot.

Taking off on the second row will be Stefan Bradl and Marc Marquez (who has a small fracture at the top of his humerus of his right shoulder) in his who had to take also take part in QP1 but he still managed to take sixth. Valentino Rossi once again will be taking off on the third row in seventh, unable to make the most of his last flying lap having trouble at the Correntaio and Biondetti. Ducati’s Nicky Hayden qualified 8th ahead of Alvaro Bautista, who was more than one second from Pedrosa’s pole position.

Michele Pirro, Ducati’s test rider and wildcard, was 10th, while injured Bradley Smith made it out of QP1 to qualify 11th with his Yamaha M1 and ahead of CRT leader Aleix Espargaro. Andrea Iannone who is the sole Pramac rider after Ben Spies’ pullout was just 13th.

2013 MotoGP Mugello Qualifying 2 results:

01- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V – 1’47.157
02- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.069
03- Andrea Dovizioso – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13 – + 0.471
04- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.475
05- Stefan Bradl – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC213V – + 0.580
06- Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V – + 0.606
07- Valentino Rossi – Yamaha Factory Racing – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.715
08- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13 – + 0.849
09- Alvaro Bautista – GO&FUN Honda Gresini – Honda RC213V – + 1.198
10- Michele Pirro – Ducati Test Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13 – + 1.407
11- Bradley Smith – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.549
12- Aleix Espargaro – Power Electronics Aspar – ART GP13 – + 1.608

2013 MotoGP Mugello Starting Grid:

01- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V
02- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing – Yamaha YZR M1
03- Andrea Dovizioso – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13
04- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1
05- Stefan Bradl – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC213V
06- Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V
07- Valentino Rossi – Yamaha Factory Racing – Yamaha YZR M1
08- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13
09- Alvaro Bautista – GO&FUN Honda Gresini – Honda RC213V
10- Michele Pirro – Ducati Test Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13