Rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio (+Ego Speed Up) set a fantastic 1:37.481 in Moto2™ Q2 at the GP Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini to take his first career pole position. Championship leader Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and second in the standings Augusto Fernandez (FlexBox HP 40) will lineup together on the front row.
A first career pole position for @FabioDiggia21! ????
— MotoGP™ ???????? (@MotoGP) September 14, 2019
A fantastic effort from the 20 year old! ????#SanMarinoGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/8cQJMu1AYD
The sun was beaming down at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli and it was Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) who shone brightest in the early stages of Q2, the Australian setting the fastest lap of the weekend to lead teammate Tetsuta Nagashima by just 0.007. However, as he has done all weekend, Marquez was threatening the top. 10th after the first flying laps, the Spaniard then went P1 by 0.046 and soon after, Fernandez slotted himself into second. And it was tight, the top four were split by only 0.053 with five minutes remaining before Di Giannantonio really got going.
The Rome-born rider pulled out of his first flying lap after pitting, but there was no stopping him on his final one. Two tenths under in the first sector, the Speed Up was getting a wriggle on. ‘Diggia’ had 0.278 in his pocket at the third split and, you guessed it, he snatched pole from Marquez. Would the latter reply? No, nobody would. Grey sectors filled the timing screens and it’s Di Giannantonio who will launch from his first-ever pole position. A P2 for Marquez is by no means a bad result, but with Fernandez on the front row, tensions will be high heading into the race.
Gardner and Nagashima will line up fourth and fifth as the duo keep up their great weekend at Misano. Despite a crash at Turn 9, Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) claims P6 on the grid ahead of Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) and birthday boy Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), just 0.385 covering the latter from pole. Ninth went the way of home hero Marco Bezzecchi (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) after he came through Q1, the Italian is the leading KTM rider by some distance in Q2. Fellow Italian Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) will start from P10 on home soil.
Q1 graduate Iker Lecuona (American Racing KTM) crashed in Q2, rider ok.
Don’t miss the Moto2™ race at 12:20 local time (GMT+2) on Sunday.
Top 10:
1. Fabio Di Giannantonio (+Ego Speed Up) 1:37.481
2. Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) + 0.137
3. Augusto Fernandez (FlexBox HP 40) + 0.164
4. Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) + 0.183
5. Tetsuta Nagashima (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) + 0.190
6. Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) + 0.298
7. Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) + 0.315
8. Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) + 0.385
9. Marco Bezzecchi (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) + 0.454
10. Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) + 0.457
Click here for the full results!