Movistar Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo adopted a three-stop strategy in today’s Jerez MotoGP qualifying session and he destroyed the opposition to take the outright lap record and pole position on home turf.
The Spaniard completed three one-lap runs - a strategy used successfully in the past by rival Marc Marquez - putting in a 1’38.497, a 1’38.243 and finally a 1’37.910 to take his first pole of the year.
Lorenzo said in parc ferme that he was prepared to crash on the final run, when he switched to his second bike, as he knew he had a front-row start in the bag and that his head was finally clear of all distractions.
Injured Marquez mustered a 1’38.300 for second on the grid despite suffering a small spill at turn one in free practice four while Andrea Iannone nicked the final front row spot with his 1’38.468 set on the soft rear Bridgestone.
Monster Yamaha’s Pol Espargaro stuck in a 1’38.539 to head row two with Valentino Rossi putting in his best qualifying performance of the year so far in fifth place. The Doctor’s last lap just edged Aleix Espargaro, on the soft-tyred Suzuki, into sixth place.
Britain’s Cal Crutchlow also adopted a three-stopper but didn’t have the same success as Lorenzo. He finished at the top of row three but ahead of his 2014 team-mate Andrea Dovizioso who couldn’t take advantage of his soft rear tyre in the same way as Iannone did on the works Ducati.
Yonny Hernandez moved through from qualifying one and continued to improve through the session to take ninth place. The Pramac Ducati man is ahead of Bradley Smith on the second Monster Yamaha who tops row four.
He is joined by Danilo Petrucci, another graduate from qualifying one, while Scott Redding slipped back to 12th place with a best lap of 1’39.825 but he hasn’t the advantage of the soft tyred men in front of him.
Eugene Laverty finished the session in 17th place, one ahead of team-mate Nicky Hayden while Jack Miller ended the day in 22nd place.
