Marquez Monsters The Field In Phillip Island Qualifying

Oct 17, 2015
4 min read

Marc Marquez will start tomorrow's Pramac Australian Grand Prix from pole position after a dominant display at Phillip Island.

The Spaniard has been in command all weekend, topping all but one of the practice sessions this weekend. Still recovering from a fractured left hand, it didn't seem to offer him too much concern as he was fast out of the blocks. His first lap saw him go provisionally top with a 1:28.731, setting an ominous tone for the remainder of the fifteen-minute session. His second lap was cut short when he nearly lost the front of his RC213V going through turn four.

Despite losing a set of tyres as a result, Marquez kept calm and collected for his final run. His best lap came on his second tour of the 4.4km circuit in his third run, claiming his 58th career pole position with a 1:28.364. The Spaniard now sits third on the all-time record for pole positions, equal with five-time 500cc World Champion Mick Doohan.

Marquez's race pace in FP4 further cements his position as the man to beat in Australia. He clocked nine 1:29s laps, his nearest competitor only managing two.

Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, particularly the latter, stand to gain something from Honda's form this weekend. The Spaniard will start from the back of the front row, with his team-mate down in 7th after a difficult afternoon saw his two best laps interrupted by mistakes. If Marquez is to win the race – and barring disaster, that seems likely – then he could take five points away from Lorenzo. If Rossi is able to get off the line well, clear the bikes in front, and Marquez is able to head Lorenzo through the first few corners, the Honda could well baulk his compatriot and allow the championship leader to challenge for 2nd.

Also in Rossi's favour is the man who is sandwiched between Marquez and Lorenzo, Andrea Iannone. The Ducati rider spied Lorenzo and decided to follow him for much of the session, and it worked beautifully. Iannone went 2nd quickest, setting an identical lap time to that of Lorenzo – 1:28.680. The GP15 is a bullet off the line, and though the Ducati doesn't have the pace to run with the top guys for the entire 27-lap contest, Iannone can cause a real headache in the opening laps if he jumps Lorenzo.

Alternatively, if Lorenzo can jump Marquez at the start, use his superior early race speed to build a gap, the Honda may not have an answer and Rossi could end up losing nine points if he is to finish 3rd.

Rossi does have to clear a pretty talented second row tomorrow before he can even hope to get close to his team-mate, and that will be easier said than done. Starting directly ahead is the Suzuki of Maverick Vinales, who won't be an issue off the line given the GSX-RR's lack of seamless gearbox. The Honda's of Cal Crutchlow and Dani Pedrosa start ahead of Vinales, and Rossi knows all too well just how pesky the number twenty-six bike can be. Pedrosa just missed out on the front row with his best effort of 1:28.712, and he'll be keen to make up positions at the start as so he can have a crack at the victory.

Yamaha have a real fight on their hands tomorrow, and likely not with each other. Lorenzo needs to cut the gap as much as possible heading into Sepang, but will have a job on his hands to try and do that. Rossi, likewise, has to try and keep his advantage in the standings as high as possible if he is to go to Valencia, a track he doesn't like at all, in the best position to take the title. Tomorrow's start will be absolutely vital.

Aleix Espargaro will start from 8th after a strong qualifying saw him cruise through QP1 alongside his brother Pol, and continue to outpace him by two tenths in QP2. The Suzuki will struggle at the start, but good points are on offer at a track that does suit the chassis of the bike a lot.

Andrea Dovizioso was a disappointing 10th, with Scott Redding and Bradley Smith for company on the fourth row.

Danilo Petrucci fell out of qualifying after failing to make it into the top two in QP1. The Pramac Ducati rider has struggled this weekend, likewise his team-mate, Yonny Hernandez, in 17th. The GP14.2 still suffers from understeer, and the long corners and quick changes of direction will be tough going for the pair. Hector Barbera, on the Avintia Open Ducati, was only a few hundredths back in 14th and will be looking for a good result this weekend – the Spaniard took 5th place at this race last year on the same machinery.

Jack Miller will be disappointed to have missed out on QP2 having looked good to do so throughout the weekend. His time of 1:30.104 was only good enough for 15th, but the Australian should still be able to race well from the fifth row. The LCR rider can take some solace from his session as he was top Open Honda rider, albeit by just one-thousandth of a second from Eugene Laverty.

Ant West and Damien Cudlin start their home Grand Prix from the back row, with Toni Elias on the Forward Yamaha for company between the pair.

2015 Australian Grand Prix – The Grid:

1st Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team, 1:28.364

2nd Andrea Iannone, Ducati Team, 1:28.680

3rd Jorge Lorenzo, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, 1:28.680

4th Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team, 1:28.712

5th Cal Crutchlow, LCR Honda, 1:28.912

6th Maverick Vinales, Team Suzuki Ecstar, 1:28.932

7th Valentino Rossi, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, 1:29.014

8th Aleix Espargaro, Team Suzuki Ecstar, 1:29.015

9th Pol Espargaro, Monster Yamaha Tech 3, 1:29.222

10th Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team, 1:29.267