The Moto2 class have had a tough couple days as they have prepared during the build up to the first European round of the Moto2 season, at the Circuit de Jerez where they meet for the fourth event this season.

Crash filled opening days for the Moto2 class

The sessions have been full of crashes which proves extra tough for the 600cc class as they all only have one machine per rider meaning that should they crash at any time during the session, the rider if he is able to is not unable to return to track until the bike has been fixed therefore a crash could prove very costly.

It lashed it down when it came to the opening Free Practice session and the 600cc class had to compensate for the wet conditions they faced. Free Practice 1 that saw Alex Marquez rule the roost as he topped the timesheets with a time of 1:58.299 minutes , resulted in four crashes. Rookie, Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), former MotoGP rider Yonny Hernandez (RW Racing) came off at turn 12, Xavier Simeon (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) all crashed, and Lorenzo Baldassarri (Forward Racing Team) experienced a high side that slammed him onto the track. Fortunately all riders were unhurt from their incidents.

Marquez quickest after wet Free Practice 1

Over a second slower than session leader, Marquez, Ricky Cardus who is stepping in for injured Moto2 rookie Brad Binder on the Red Bull KTM Ajo bike was second quickest and rookie Tetsuta Nagashima (Teluru SAG Team) was third quickest. On his birthday weekend, Hafizh Syahrin (Petronas Raceline Malaysia) was fourth quickest and Isaac Vinales (Be-A-VIP SAG Team) was fifth quickest overall.

Conditions improved by the end of the opening day where Marquez remained on top

It had begun to dry towards the end of the session and the opening day for the Moto2 class, and once again, Marquez was the quickest man on track. They had made a significant improvement in regards to the lap time shaving approximately 15 seconds off their times from the previous session.

The session caught out more riders including rookie Fabio Quartararo (Pons HP40) and Franco Morbidelli (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) came off and Baldassarri had a second spill.

Marquez finished up the first day with a time of 1:43.121 which was 0.158 seconds quicker than secon place, Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer Racing) on the Suter machine, and Xavi Vierge (Tech3 Racing) in third on the Tech3 bike. Rookie Quartararo was fourth and fifth quickest at the end of day one despite their crashes.

Ideal weather for day two of proceedings

There was no stopping Marquez as his domination continued on through to the final Free Practice session on a warm and sunny day. The sun was out and the moisture from the morning had burnt off as they got their final practice underway.

Sunshine meant more crashes

Within the first 15 minutes however, five riders got caught out. Simone Corsi (Speed Up Racing) went down at turn 13 burying his bike in the gravel and struggled to recover it. Baldassarri went down again at turn 13 after experience front end chatter before it folded. Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) went down at turn nine but quickly recovered. Iker Lecuona returning for the Garage Plus Interwetten team after injury went down at turn six, and Aegerter fell off at turn two when the front folded; fortunately all riders were OK.

Towards the end of the session, Marquez returned to the top of the timesheets and became one of five riders that were able to lap under 1:43 minutes. One last crash in the session saw rookie, Tetsuta Nagashima (Teluru SAG Team) go down at turn two of the track.

Marquez again quickest during Free Practice 3

The session ended up with Marquez quickest with a time of 1:42.4343. Just 0.055 seconds slower than him, was his teammate Morbidelli. Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) made it three Kalex at the top of the timesheets with his continued fine form.

Corsi was fourth quickest ahead of the highest placed KTM rider, Oliveira in fifth. Luca Marini (Forward Racing Team) was sixth ahead of rookie, Navarro, Aegerter, rookie Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact GP) who completed the top 10 going into Qualifying.]

Record breaking pace from the start of Qualifying

Qualifying for the Moto2 class saw more records broken. Aegerter was first to beat the best ever lap time completed by Sam Lowes (now in the MotoGP) in 2016 with a time of 1:42.408. It came early on in the session which took place at the hottest art of the second day, which proved difficult for the riders in the sweltering heat.

Shortly after, Morbidelli was able to beat Aegerter’s time, and then along came Marquez to resume his place as previous. Then, the riders began to feel the wrath of turn six as the temperature soared so high that the tyres seemed to struggle to cope with the turn.

More big incidents as turn six proves notorious

Pasini had a wobble on track as he passed through the chicance. Isaac Vinales was the first to go down during Qualifying just 10 minutes in. Syahrin went down at turn six soon after and he was able to get his bike recovered and restarted by marshalls. Rookie, Khairul Idham Pawi (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) was next to go down at the turn with 22 minutes remaining. After he dropped his bike, it bounced and landed on the front end.

Axel Pons (RW Racing GP) was next to go down at the turn moments after Pawi did. He crashed early on the approach to the turn, it was sliding on its fairing by the time he got there, and he was soon able to recover it.

Next, Aegerter was thrown from his Suter bike at turn six again. The rear end was sliding on the approach to the entry of the right-hander and then came round too far and flipped over; he landed in front of it after being slapped down on the tarmac but both were able to recover. Next, rookie Navarro had another spill going down with 15 minutes remaining when the front end folded on him and he slid out.

Schrotter then went down but this time his crash was at turn two when the front folded under him. Fortunately it meant that the Marshalls got a break at turn six, and again, like all the other riders he was ok and appeared unhurt.

One last push as the session drew to a close

Personal best indicators began to occur within the last ten minutes of the session. But the incidents kept occurring as the adhesion became tougher to deal with. Oliveira had a big slide at turn 12 with six minutes to go but managed to recover the front that he almost lot. This was much to the disappointment of Marini who waved his hand in anger behind as he had to act quickly to avoid hitting him, but it was not as if Oliveira had a choice about his incident.

The final crash of the session and the day occurred again at turn six of the circuit. This time it was Remy Gardner (Tech3 Racing) who went down. The Australian is already injured from being taken out in Austin, Texas, and has since had to have his broken ankle plated. Fortunately he was able to get up and walk away, but later had to ditch the bike and return to the bits limping.

Marquez picks up a puncture ending Qualifying run early

With all the incidents at the corner, and with the session not being stopped, understandably there must have been small amounts of debris and shrapnel at the turn. Marshalls are not able to stay at the turn clearing up, they are there to recover the rider and bike and whatever bits they can safely without jeopardising themselves and during a session like Qualifying, riders are coming all the time.

Marquez was completing his final time attack in an attempt to confirm and secure the pole position he had already gained. He had to avoid Syahrin who was trying to remain off the line at turn 13, and the Spaniard had to take a tighter inside line in order to meet the apex.

Then, when Marquez approached turn six, he was forced to avoid Axel Pons and ended p running into the run off area at turn six. As a result, he tyre suffered a puncture and the rear tyre quickly deflated forcing him to retire from the session earlier than originally planned.

Marquez collects record breaking pole in Jerez

Marquez had done enough though, he secured pole ahead of the fourth round of the season, and in doing so set a new lap record with the best ever lap time in the Moto2 class of 1:42.080. Morbidelli will join him on the front row in second, making it a fantastic P1 and P2 for the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS team. Joining them on the front row, Aegerter will start the race from third on the grid, a great result for the team after it was revealed that them and his teammate, British rider Danny Kent would be parting ways.

Leading row two starting from fourth on the grid is Oliveira ahead of Pasini and the highest placed rookie, Bagnaia in sixth. Vierge has qualified seventh ahead of Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), and Schrotter in ninth. Axel Pons qualified 10th and is joined by Marini and Thomas Luthi (CarXpert Interwetten) who completes the fourth row in 12th.

Simone Corsi (Speed Up Racing) is the first Speed Up bike on the grid in 13th ahead of rookie Quartararo and birthday boy Syahrin in 15th. Rookie Pawi will start from 16th ahead of Simeon and Cardus in 18th. Baldassarri leads row seven ahead of Sandro Cortese (Dynavolt Intact GP) and rookie Navarro in 21st.

Former MotoGP rider Hernandez is 22nd on the grid ahead of Edgar Pons (Pons HP40), Nagashima, rookie Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) in 25th. Jesko Raffin (Garage Plus Interwetten), Vinales, and Gardner are ahead of rookie Stefano Manzi (Sky Racing Team VR46), and returning rider Iker Lecuona (Garage Plus Interwetten). Axel Bassani (Speed Up Racing) is 31st, and completing the grid in 32nd is Federico Fulgini who is replacing Kent at Kiefer Racing.

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About the author
Danielle Overend
Passionate about everything motorcycles and Moto GP!