Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website Motogp - Qualifying - Red Bull KTM less than a second from pole position time at German Grand Prix
july 15, 2018 - KTM

Motogp - Qualifying - Red Bull KTM less than a second from pole position time at German Grand Prix

QUALIFYING 9th Rd. #motogp 2018, #sachsenring (GER)

Pol Espargaro and #bradleysmith were 15th and 16th fastest respectively after qualification for the Pramac Motorrad Grand Prix of Deutschland at a hot and sunny #sachsenring today and will form-up on the fifth and sixth rows of the grid after registering lap-times close to Marc Marquez’s pole position effort.

MotoGP
The acute demands of the spiralling German layout presented a different challenge for the Red Bull KTM crew compared to the fast flow of Assen two weeks previously. The team suffered an early blow when Mika Kallio crashed out of FP2 on Friday and injured his right knee.

It was left to #polespargaro and #bradleysmith to push the KTM RC16 to the limit around a course with ten lefthanders and only three right corners and with multiple elevation changes. The pair worked on optimum set-up for what was only KTM’s second ever attempt around the unique trajectory and neared the top ten through the latter Free Practice sessions. QP1 took place in warm summer temperatures and #44’s best lap-time – with a medium tyre choice – meant that he was marginally less than one second away from the pole effort. Smith was just four hundredths of a second slower. Both riders are optimistic for Sunday and their pace for the 30 lap distance.

Espargaro: “A little bit like in Holland: we did a good FP4, a bad qualifying and a good race. It feels like Assen. We have very good rhythm and I can do quick laps with the medium tyre and this means we are good for the race. It also that we have a bit of a problem: we cannot get the best performance from the soft tyre and the extra grip to give us a better lap-time in qualifying. We’ll see tomorrow but it looks like we will go from the back to the top.”

Smith: “Generally not too bad. I think we have better race pace than we do over one lap and that bodes well for tomorrow. Tyre life seems to be quite good for us so the goal is to get a decent start and push to try and be inside the top twelve. Qualifying was a bit frustrating as I was held up a couple of times but the weekend has been positive and consistent. We also managed to improve the bike a little bit in terms of rear grip. It doesn't feel like we are in sixteenth place. It feels like the potential should be higher. We’re optimistic for tomorrow. It will be crucial to make some passes and not get stuck behind #people.”

Sebastian Risse (Technical Director MotoGP): “We’ve been working hard and consistently to make steps with the bike this weekend. With Pol we also tried a few more radical things. Some worked out, some didn't so it was important to also keep the focus on normal setting work and understanding the tyres etc. It was a compromise but when we got to qualifying we brought it all together and again it was very tight. It was not the top ten position that we were looking for but when you see the gaps and the lap-times we have to be happy today. We have done our fastest lap with the race tyre and it seems to be constant. We cannot get better in terms of relation between qualifying and race pace. Let’s see what the others can do…but we are confident that we can have a good race here tomorrow.”

Moto2 & Moto3
In Moto2 Swiss innovative Investors Sam Lowes took his KTM Moto2 to the 4th fastest lap-time while Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brad Binder capped a day where he extended his contract with the team for 2019 with 10th place.

Binder: "I am very happy with our final position, and besides that my pace is really good. I am a little disappointed that I did not find the tenths that we needed, because my goal was to start from one of the front two rows of the grid and, unfortunately, we will start from the fourth row. My plan for tomorrow is to make a good start, try to overtake as many riders as possible and focus on my pace until the end."

Jorge Martin will start from Moto3 pole position for the sixth time this season but Bester Capital Dubai’s Marcos Ramirez will line-up second on the grid and was just six hundredths of second slower than his countryman in the QP session on the KTM RC250 GP.

Races: July 15, 2018 – Moto3 11:00 | Moto2 12:20 | #motogp 14:00 | Red Bull #motogp Rookies Cup 15:30 CET

Results Qualifying #motogp #sachsenring 2018
1. Marc Marquez (ESP), Honda, 1:20.270 min
2. Danilo Petrucci (ITA), Ducati, +0.025 sec
3. Jorge Lorenzo (ITA), Ducati, +0.057
4. Maverick Vinales (ESP), Yamaha, +0.171
5. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA), Ducati, +0.174
KTM
16. #polespargaro (ESP), KTM, +0.972
17. #bradleysmith (GBR), KTM, +1.017

Results Qualifying Moto2 #sachsenring 2018
1. Mattia Pasini (ITA), Kalex, 1:23.787 min
2. Luca Marini (ITA), Kalex, +0.181 sec
3. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA), Kalex, +0.183
4. Sam Lowes (GBR), KTM, +0.184
5. Lorenzo Baldassarri (ITA), Kalex, +0.234
KTM
10. Brad Binder (RSA), KTM, +0.391
15. Miguel Oliveira (POR), KTM, +0.573

Results Qualifying Moto3 #sachsenring 2018
1. Jorge Martin (ESP), Honda, 1:26.434 min
2. Marcos Ramirez (ESP), KTM, +0.060 sec
3. Enea Bastianini (ITA), Honda, +0.065
4. Jaume Masia (ESP), KTM, +0.262
5. Aron Canet (ESP), Honda, +0.306
KTM
7. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA), KTM, +0.349
8. John McPhee (GBR), KTM, +0.358
14. Raul Fernandez (ESP), KTM, +0.583

You might be interested in

march 04, 2024
february 21, 2024
february 20, 2024

KTM’s extensive presence and impact in the Moto3™ and Moto2™ categories of 2024 MotoGP™ will once more lie in the extremely capabl...

Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 made their final tweaks and adjustments under the glaring lights of the Lusail International Circuit to wrap...

AT THE END OF THE LAST PRE-SEASON TESTS, ALEIX AND MAVERICK PROMOTE THE RS-GP24Lights out on the Losail Circuit and the MotoGP pre...