In-form Iannone secures second pole of 2010

Andrea Iannone will start the Moto2 TIM TT Assen in pole position after setting the fastest time, as he had done in the two practice sessions leading up to Friday’s qualification. The Italian of the Fimmco Speed Up team, who secured victory at Mugello from pole in round four, set a fast lap of 1’39.092 on Friday afternoon.

Second in the session was Ratthapark Wilairot, whose 16th and final lap of the session pushed him to within 0.215s of Iannone and gave the Thai Honda PTT Singha-SAG his best ever starting grid position.

Also on the provisional front row was Alex Debón (Aeroport de Castelló-Ajo) who set his best time on only his third lap, although that proved to be his final turn of the circuit as the Spaniard then had a crash which resulted in a suspected fractured right collarbone, an injury which has placed his participation in the race in doubt. Technomag-CIP rider Shoya Tomizawa completed the front row with the fourth fastest time of the session.

Just seven-thousandths behind Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Moriwaki Racing) was fifth fastest, with Championship leader Toni Elías (Gresini Racing Moto2), Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar) and Fonsi Nieto (G22 Holiday Gym) completing the top eight. Forward Racing pair Claudio Corti and Jules Cluzel were ninth and tenth.

Other crashers included Gabor Talmacsi, who went down at Turn 6 with just over 23 minutes of the session remaining. The Hungarian’s fall resulted in the red flag being brought out while the track was cleared, and he escaped uninjured. Axel Pons (Tenerife 40 Pons) went down towards the end of the session and suffered a fracture to the radius in his right arm, and will not ride in tomorrow’s race. Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2) was the final faller and was uninjured.