Moto2 Brno: Slick advantage sees Marquez blast ahead for pole
Alex Marquez ran the perfect strategy, changing to slick tyres at the optimum moment to finish streets ahead of his rivals on his way to claiming the Moto2 pole for the Czech Grand Prix.
The EG 0,0 Marc VDS man was the first to make the tyre change as the changeable weather brought a dry line and after languishing in down in the teens the Spaniard flew into contention for pole, which he then guaranteed with an unmatchable 2m 06.787s.
Sam Lowes was another early slicks adopter at Gresini, forced into an early change after a problem with his wet tyre, he flirted with pole and gave Marquez a good battle before qualifying second, a huge 2.018s behind, but his best qualifying performance of the season.
The front row is completed by Lorenzo Baldassarri, who climbed to third with his final lap of the session for Flexbox HP40.
Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46) also made late gains, rising to fourth as the chequered flag waved.
Fifth went to early pacesetter and top rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio for Speed Up, also making him the top non-Kalex runner.
Marco Bezzecchi was the best of the riders who came through Q1 in sixth for Red Bull KTM Tech 3. The Italian will also be the top KTM on the grid.
Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact GP) flirted briefly with the top spot before he was shuffled back to seventh. Bo Bendsneyder was the only rider to find the gravel in Q2 on his way to his best ever qualifying result on the NTS RW Racing GP as he claimed eighth.
Jake Dixon (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team) didn’t make the switch to slicks but still made gains as he too recorded a best ever qualifying performance for ninth, while Augusto Fernandez ensured both the Pons HP40 bikes made the top ten.
With championship leader Marquez on pole, Tom Luthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) has it all to do on race day after qualifying down in twelfth.
Joe Roberts had red sectors on the timing screens when he was flung from his American Racing KTM in the tricky wet conditions. After flying through the air his fall was so hard it knocked his helmet visor loose, and left the American unable to reply as he slipped out of the Q1 advancing positions to sixth - 20th on the grid.
Mattia Pasini is back as a permanent rider at Tasca Racing, taking over from another MotoGP paddock veteran Simone Corsi. He starts 24th.
Jonas Folger, who was originally only at the track to watch the event, agreed to deputise for Khairul Idham Pawi again when requested by the Petronas Sprinta Racing Team, his first session of the weekend was FP3 and qualifying saw him land 29th on the grid.
Dimas Ekky Pratama also withdrew from the Czech Grand Prix with ongoing injury issues continuing from his Assen crash.
