MotoGP

Monster Energy Yamaha’s Italian rider Valentino Rossi (L) gestures to Monster Energy Yamaha’ Spanish rider Maverick Vinales after the qualifying session ahead of the Emilia Romagna MotoGP Grand Prix at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli on September 19, 2020. (Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP) (Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images)

Emilia Romagna MotoGP: Vinales claims back-to-back poles at Misano

Maverick Vinales, Jack Miller and Fabio Quartararo will start on the front row of the grid in Sunday’s Emilia Romagna MotoGP in Misano.

MotoGP

Monster Energy Yamaha’s Italian rider Valentino Rossi (L) gestures to Monster Energy Yamaha’ Spanish rider Maverick Vinales after the qualifying session ahead of the Emilia Romagna MotoGP Grand Prix at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli on September 19, 2020. (Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP) (Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images)

Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales claimed a second successive pole position at the Misano circuit in San Marino ahead of Sunday’s Emilia Romagna MotoGP.

Track limits cost Francesco Bagnaia the pole position after his hot lap was disallowed, leaving him fifth on the grid.

Bagnaia’s Ducati teammate Jack Miller was just 0.0076 seconds off Vinales’ time.

Fabio Quartararo lost the world Championship lead last weekend after falling off his Petronas Yamaha and retiring from the race but he will be looking to bounce back after qualifying third at Misano.

The top 11 places were seperated by just half a second and the race is expected to be a competitive affair following last week’s dramatic San Marino Grand Prix.

Honda’s rotten luck in MotoGP in 2020 continued with Stefan Bradl, who was replacing injured reigning world champion Marc Marquez, withdrawing from the remainder of the weekend due to recent surgery for nerve problems in his hand.

Veteran British rider Cal Crutchlow will also miss the race after a recent surgery following some early season crashes.

South Africa’s Brad Binder achieved sixth place on the grid improving from last weekend when he failed to get out of the first qualifying session.

EMILIA ROMAGNA MOTOGP MISANO QUALIFYING

EMILIA ROMAGNA MOTOGP, MISANO – FULL QUALIFYING RESULTS
POSRIDERNATTEAMTIME/DIFFLAPMAX
1Maverick ViñalesSPAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)1’31.077s9/9291k
2Jack MillerAUSPramac Ducati (GP20)+0.076s8/8302k
3Fabio QuartararoFRAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.145s8/8291k
4Pol EspargaroSPARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.231s9/9298k
5Francesco BagnaiaITAPramac Ducati (GP20)+0.236s3/7303k
6Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)*+0.312s8/9293k
7Valentino RossiITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.359s7/7290k
8Franco MorbidelliITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.489s5/9290k
9Danilo PetrucciITADucati Team (GP20)+0.497s8/9298k
10Andrea DoviziosoITADucati Team (GP20)+0.504s7/9300k
11Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.540s8/9293k
12Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+1.207s3/4293k
 Qualifying 1:     
13Iker LecuonaSPARed Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16)*1’31.715s4/9292k
14Johann ZarcoFRAReale Avintia (GP19)1’31.764s9/9294k
15Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16)1’31.841s7/8294k
16Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)1’31.912s3/6292k
17Alex MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)*1’32.198s8/8293k
18Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)1’32.275s8/9293k
19Bradley SmithGBRAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)1’32.486s7/8290k
20Tito RabatSPAReale Avintia (GP19)1’32.85s4/9296k

* Rookie.
Official Misano MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati1m 31.127s (2020)
Fastest race lap:
Andrea Dovizioso SPA Ducati 1m 32.678s (2018)