Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) carried his Saturday morning form into qualifying as the Italian shot to pole position for his home race at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley. Marcel Schroetter (Dynavolt Intact GP) was second fastest in the afternoon, a slender 0.030 behind Pasini’s 1:51.575 after a career best finish at Le Mans, with Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) rounding out the front row of the grid in third, just 0.067 back from pole.
In beautiful conditions, it was Schroetter who led in the early stages, setting his fastest time on only his fourth flying lap to set the benchmark. Last year’s race winner Pasini then went quicker on his ninth lap to move the goal posts further – a time that wouldn’t be beaten. There was an early fall in the session for Italian Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40), tucking the front at Turn 10 – rider ok.
#Moto2 Qualifying ????@MattiaPasini LOVES Mugello! The veteran will start from pole ahead of @MarcelSchrotter and @alexmarquez73 ????????#ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/UAulv9Y2TW
— MotoGP™???????????? (@MotoGP) June 2, 2018
Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) had a quiet session, sitting in the garage for a prolonged period midway through – he’ll launch from P4 in tomorrow’s race as he aims to grab a home victory. He leads fellow Italian Simone Corsi (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2), who starts from P5 in Sunday’s race on his 250th Grand Prix start – a fantastic milestone for Corsi, who’ll be aiming for a podium finish tomorrow.
Fastest of the rookies was Romano Fenati (Marinelli Snipers Team) in front of his home crowd, the Italian was in and around the top ten throughout the session on board his Kalex machine, eventually finishing sixth quickest. Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) sealed his best qualifying of the year at his home Grand Prix in seventh, with Baldassarri continuing the Italian domination in the top ten – the Jerez winner recovered to eighth on his final run.
Friday’s fastest man Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was ninth quickest, with compatriot Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) in P10 – his third top ten qualifying finish of the season. Championship contender Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) continued his quiet weekend in P11, the first of the KTM chassis’ in qualifying, with Xavi Vierge (Dynavolt Intact GP) in 12th.
Tetsuta Nagashima (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) was a prolific figure in the top ten throughout, P13 was his best qualifying position of the season. Sam Lowes (Swiss Innovative Investors) – second fastest man on Friday – had to settle for P14, while Danny Kent (MB Conveyors – Speed Up Racing) was 0.001 behind his fellow Brit in 15th.
Stefano Manzi (Forward Racing Team) crashed down into Turn 1 – rider ok.
The grid has taken shape ahead of tomorrow’s intermediate class race. Tune in at 12:20 local time (GMT +2) to see the Moto2™ riders do battle at Mugello.