Moto2 Mugello: Pasini powers to pole position
Mattia Pasini went fastest when it mattered most as the early pace set the grid up for Sunday’s Moto2 Grand Prix at Mugello.
The Italian will hold the pole position spot on the grid for the first time this year at his home race as his lap of 1m 51.575s, set with 23 minutes of the session left to run, remained unchallenged all the way to the chequered flag as the track warmed up and it became trickier to find any extra speed.
The Italtrans Kalex rider won the intermediate class race at Mugello last year from third on the grid, marking the veteran racers first ever word championship victory.
He will be joined on the first row by Marcel Schrotter, who continues his excellent form with Dynavolt GP this season by picking up second, just 0.030s slower than the lead time.
Alex Marquez held third for EG 0,0 Marc VDS and with few fast laps to challenge late on the Spaniard found himself the target for a tow in the closing stages instead.
Championship leader and Le Mans winner Francesco Bagnaia leads off row two from fourth and is joined by Simone Corsi (Tasca Racing) on the eve of his 250th Grand Prix start from fifth and Romano Fenati, who was the top rookie qualifier in sixth for the Marinelli Snipers Team.
Luca Marini, who rode injured in Le Mans to remove his grid penalty, looked ready to race as he picked up seventh at home for Sky Racing VR46, with Lorenzo Baldassarri recovering from a crash on his first lap out of the pits to be one of just a handful of riders to find improvements in the final moments of the session, securing eighth for Pons HP40.
Overall top rookie Joan Mir starts ninth on the second EG 0,0 Marc VDS entry with Jorge Navarro also showing some rare late pace to complete the top ten with Gresini.
Miguel Oliveira was the best of the non-Kalex entries pushing his Red Bull KTM Ajo to the limit for eleventh.
Sam Lowes was the best of the Brits in 14th for Swiss Innovative Investors. He will start one place ahead of fellow countryman Danny Kent who dug deep to move up to 15th, he in turn is one place ahead of his Speed Up teammate Fabio Quartararo.
Stefano Manzi was the only other faller in the session, but returned to claim 20th.
Xavi Cardelus remains in the paddock in Mugello as a wildcard with Team Stylobike he qualified 33rd.
Though Dominique Aegerter returned for Kiefer this race (and is 26th on the grid) , Hector Garzo still replaces Remy Gardner at Tech 3 and he starts 32nd.
