Honda MotoGP rider Marc Marquez of Spain gestures after taking pole position during qualification ahead of the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone race circuit, central England, yesterday.
SILVERSTONE, United Kingdom/Northamptonshire: Spain’s world championship leader Marc Marquez set himself up for a potential fifth successive MotoGP win yesterday as he took pole for today’s British Grand Prix.
The 20-year-old Repsol Honda rider - bidding to become the first rookie since American Kenny Roberts in 1978 to win the world championship - edged out compatriot and defending world champion Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha to take his fifth pole position of the campaign.
“If I’m honest, I didn’t expect that lap time...especially with the first (rear) tyre,” Marquez told the MotoGP website.
“I had many slides and was pushing 100% but, despite that, the lap time was still really good.
“Then, with the second tyre, I thought I could maybe be one or two tenths faster, but it was immediately half a second faster on the first lap. On the second lap, I said, ‘I will not push more because I have already done a good lap time!’
“For tomorrow (today), we will see. It will be interesting to see the race because at this circuit both types of rear tyre are working quite well, so it will be interesting to see which is the best one,” added Marquez.
Marquez left 26-year-old Lorenzo stunned as the latter had broken the lap record -- previously set by now retired former world champion Casey Stoner in 2011, albeit on an 800cc bike and not the 1000cc they now ride -- with a time of 2min 00.819sec to move into pole position only to see his younger compatriot put in an even better lap of 2:00.691.
“I thought I had pole position,” said Lorenzo.
“I am disappointed because it was one of the best laps of my career and it was not enough.
Cal Crutchlow is third. AFP
