Fermin Aldeguer (OpenBank Aspar Team) is the rider to beat in MotoE™ after the rookie Spaniard recorded a 1:35.306 to take a maiden E-Pole at the Bitci Motorrad Grand Prix of Austria. The rookie had 0.047s to spare over Lukas Tulovic (Tech 3 E-Racing) in second, while Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian Gresini E-Racing MotoE) secured a second front row start of the season.
How E-Pole played out
Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) was the first rider to break the 1:36 barrier, taking provisional pole after putting in a classy lap. The Japanese rider was eighth out of the blocks and managed to hold off a number of challengers, including current Cup leader Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE), who has to settle for fifth on the grid in Sunday’s race.
????@jorditorres81 can't quite make it onto the front row!
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) August 14, 2021
It's still @hikari_No78 who's on provisional pole ????#MotoE | #AustrianGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/TEw0eQ7BEn
Eric Granado was chasing five consecutive E-Poles, but his hopes of extending that streak were over before it ever really began. The Brazilian was almost sent flying from his bike in the opening stages of his attempt, ending his hopes of taking E-Pole. Despite salvaging something from the lap, he will start from the fifth row in P13 and leaving him with a mountain to climb.
It could have been worse for Granado but a number of his title rivals didn't make it count, with reigning Cup Champion Jordi Torres (HP Pons 40) and Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) both failing to take full advantage as they will line up P7 and P8 respectively.
Having held on for so long, Okubo’s name finally went tumbling down the timesheets as the final three riders took to the track. Tulovic recovered from a slower sector two to finish out his lap strongly and take provisional pole. 2019 Cup winner Ferrari would ride next, and though he was 0.193s slower than the German pacesetter, he secured a front row start by temporarily slotting into P2.
Last up then was Aldeguer, and the rookie pushed hard, even running it close to track limits at Turns 9 & 10, to produce a flawless effort to take his first ever MotoE™ E-Pole to confirm his place at the head of the grid on Sunday.
Yes, @Aldeguer54, you just got your first #MotoE pole position! ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) August 14, 2021
Such an impressive lap from the rookie! ????#MotoE | #AustrianGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/g1HYP12Ief
How the top 10 looks
Aldeguer’s late pole setting time also had the knock on effect of relegating Okubo to the second row. He’s joined there by Zaccone and Xavi Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) while Colombia rookie Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) completes the third row behind Torres and Aegerter. Miquel Pons rounds out the top 10.
Top 10:
1. Fermin Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team) – 1:35.306
2. Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) + 0.047
3. Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) + 0.240
4. Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) + 0.286
5. Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE) + 0.291
6. Xavi Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) + 0.398
7. Jordi Torres (HP Pons 40) + 0.448
8. Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) + 0.508
9. Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) + 0.706
10. Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) + 0.827