Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) became the sixth different polesitter in 2020 ahead of what looks set to be a phenomenal Gran Premio Liqui Moly de Teruel. To get yourself in the mood for race day at MotorLand Aragon, here’s 10 stats that have emerged from MotoGP™ qualifying:
1. Nakagami has qualified on pole for the first time since he stepped up to MotoGP™ in 2018. This is the first pole position for a Japanese rider in MotoGP™ since Makoto Tamada was on pole position at the 2004 Valencia GP.
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NAKAGAMI TRYING TO STAY CALM DESPITE TERUEL GP FAVOURITE TAG
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NAKAGAMI ENDS JAPAN'S 16-YEAR PREMIER CLASS POLE DROUGHT
2. Nakagami will be aiming to become the first Japanese rider to finish on the podium in MotoGP™ since Katsuyuki Nakasuga was second in Valencia back in 2012.
3. With Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) at the Austrian GP, Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) at the Catalan GP and Nakagami at the Teruel GP, this is the first time there are three maiden polesitters in a single MotoGP™ season since 2013 with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Stefan Bradl and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol).
4. This is the first MotoGP™ pole for Honda since Marc Marquez in Japan last year, ending the longest sequence of successive premier class races without pole position for the Japanese manufacturer since they came back to the premier class of Grand Prix racing in 1982.
5. In addition, this Honda’s seventh pole position at MotorLand Aragon, along with Casey Stoner (2011) and Marc Marquez (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019).
6. Aragon GP winner Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) is third and top Suzuki. It’s his third front row start in MotoGP™, along with Valencia 2018 and Assen last year. This is the first Suzuki front row start at MotorLand Aragon since 2016 when Maverick Viñales was second.
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RINS PLANNING EARLY CHECKOUT FROM FIRST FRONT ROW OF 2020
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WHAT'S THE REASON BEHIND MIR'S Q2 STRUGGLES?
7. After passing through Q1, Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing), who crashed at the end of Q2, is fifth and top Ducati. This is his best qualifying result since he was third in Styria earlier this year, although he started from pitlane.
8. On pole last week at the Aragon GP, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) has qualified sixth, which is only the second time so far this season he missed the front row of the grid along with Styria when he qualified 10th (but started from ninth).
9. Championship leader Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) is 12th, equalling his second-worst qualifying result so far this season from Spain, when he qualified 12th but started from 10th. His worst qualifying result in 2020 so far was in France, when he was 14th.
10. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) is 17th, equalling his second worst qualifying result since he stepped up to MotoGP™ in 2008 from Catalunya this year. His worst was also this year in Brno, when he qualified 18th.