The weather finally took a turn for the better at Misano for this afternoon’s MotoGP qualifying session and the Italian track was finally completely dry, even if wasn’t completely rubbered so the grip wasn’t optimum and the riders and teams had to concentrate all their efforts in finding a proper dry set-up in the first part of the sixty minute session after losing the first three practices to mixed track conditions.
There is also a rumor that Dorna may implement a new rule following the fact that the majority of the riders sit-out practice sessions when tracks is in half-and half conditions, the new rule – still unofficial – will force all riders to do a minimum of six laps in each session to keep fans and TV audiences happy.
Dani Pedrosa took his fourth pole position of the 2012 season and pipping title rival Jorge Lorenzo with his last flying lap in 1.
33.
857 by a mere 0.
018s and also bettering Lorenzo’s last year’s circuit record lap (1.
33.
906) and it looks tomorrow will be the usual battle between the two, but Cal Crutchlow could also take them on as he took his second consecutive front row start in third (his fifth so far) and was just 0.
144s adrift.
Stefan Bradl ended up fourth after being on the provisional pole with just five minutes to go and he was followed by another Honda satellite rider Alvaro Bautista.
Valentino Rossi took sixth for the second consecutive time and his lap times were much better as he was a little more than seven tenths from the top of the charts with his Ducati GP12 evo (a new chassis and swingarm).
Andrea Dovizioso who will be riding a factory Ducati next year, won’t be happy as he was only 7th and more than a second from Pedrosa and eight tenths from his Tech3 team mate.
Ben Spies bad luck continued as he crashed out at turn 2 halfway through the session and that left him in 8th.
Jonath Rea grabbed an impressive 9th spot.
The Ulsterman who is standing in for injured Casey Stoner continued to improve all through the session and he was just 1.
5 seconds from the top of the charts in what was the first real practice that he’s had this weekend.
Nicky Hayden closed out the top ten with his Ducati, but he is still battling with his hand injury.
Karel Abraham who will be switching to an ART next year was 11th with his GP12 Zero ahead of Randy de Puniet who was the fastest CRT rider and finishing ahead Hector Barbera who is returning from his vertebrae injury.
MotoGP Misano Qualifying Results:01- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V – 1’33.
857 02- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
018 03- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
144 04- Stefan Bradl – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC213V – + 0.
364 05- Alvaro Bautista – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC213V – + 0.
442 06- Valentino Rossi – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP12 – + 0.
762 07- Andrea Dovizioso – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.
059 08- Ben Spies – Yamaha Factory Racing – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.
131 09- Jonathan Rea – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V – + 1.
501 10- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP12 – + 1.
544 11- Karel Abraham – Cardion AB Motoracing – Ducati Desmosedici GP12 – + 1.
791 12- Randy De Puniet – Power Electronics Aspar – ART GP12 – + 1.
899 13- Hector Barbera – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP12 – + 2.
191 14- Aleix Espargaro – Power Electronics Aspar – ART GP12 – + 2.
427 15- Michele Pirro – San Carlo Honda Gresini – FTR Honda MGP12 – + 2.
483 16- James Ellison – Paul Bird Motorsport – ART GP12 – + 3.
267 17- Mattia Pasini – Speed Master Team – ART GP12 – + 3.
305 18- Yonny Hernandez – Avintia Blusens – BQR FTR – + 3.
459 19- Danilo Petrucci – CAME Iodaracing Project – Ioda Suter BMW – + 3.
894 20- Colin Edwards – NGM Mobile Forward Racing – Suter BMW – + 4.
211 21- David Salom – Avintia Blusens – BQR FTR – + 6.
218 Ben Spies crashed out a turn 2 but he walked away