Rabat claims breakthrough pole

Esteve Rabat claimed his first ever world championship level pole position in Moto2 qualifying at Jerez.

Despite being on the grand prix scene since joining the 125cc as a wildcard in 2005, 23-year-old Spaniard Rabat had never qualified higher than third in any top-level category before.

The Pons rider denied Marc VDS’s Scott Redding a second straight Moto2 pole, with the Briton having been ahead for much of the session.

Two laps quick enough for pole gave Rabat the top spot by a comfortable 0.447-second margin.

Championship leader Redding held second, just ahead of Takaaki Nakagami.

Title favourite Pol Espargaro, who crashed out of the last round at Austin, was fourth.

He had been on course for better, before running wide and having to correct a ferocious sideways snap that looked certain to end in a huge accident.

Jordi Torres and Xavier Simeon complete row two. Austin winner Nico Terol was seventh.

Having pulled out of Austin following practice, Tom Luthi showed that his recovery from serious winter arm injuries is progressing well as he qualified eighth.

Pos  Rider                Team/Bike          Time       Gap
  1.  Esteve Rabat         Pons Kalex         1m43.251s
  2.  Scott Redding        Marc VDS Kalex     1m43.698s  + 0.447s
  3.  Takaaki Nakagami     Italtrans Kalex    1m43.855s  + 0.604s
  4.  Pol Espargaro        Pons Kalex         1m43.950s  + 0.699s
  5.  Jordi Torres         Aspar Suter        1m43.990s  + 0.739s
  6.  Xavier Simeon        SAG Kalex          1m43.994s  + 0.743s
  7.  Nicolas Terol        Aspar Suter        1m44.008s  + 0.757s
  8.  Marcel Schrotter     SAG Kalex          1m44.017s  + 0.766s
  9.  Thomas Luthi         Paddock Suter      1m44.055s  + 0.804s
 10.  Anthony West         QMMF Speed Up      1m44.271s  + 1.020s
 11.  Simone Corsi         Forward Speed Up   1m44.305s  + 1.054s
 12.  Toni Elias           Avintia Kalex      1m44.320s  + 1.069s
 13.  Dominique Aegerter   Technomag Suter    1m44.341s  + 1.090s
 14.  Julian Simon         Italtrans Kalex    1m44.367s  + 1.116s
 15.  Mika Kallio          Marc VDS Kalex     1m44.402s  + 1.151s
 16.  Ratthapark Wilairot  Gresini Suter      1m44.437s  + 1.186s
 17.  Mike di Meglio       JiR Motobi         1m44.532s  + 1.281s
 18.  Randy Krummenacher   Technomag Suter    1m44.742s  + 1.491s
 19.  Sandro Cortese       Intact Kalex       1m44.874s  + 1.623s
 20.  Mattia Pasini        Forward Speed Up   1m44.882s  + 1.631s
 21.  Yuki Takahashi       Tady Moriwaki      1m44.904s  + 1.653s
 22.  Alex de Angelis      Forward Speed Up   1m44.976s  + 1.725s
 23.  Axel Pons            Pons Kalex         1m45.050s  + 1.799s
 24.  Danny Kent           Tech 3             1m45.177s  + 1.926s
 25.  Kyle Smith           Avintia Kalex      1m45.188s  + 1.937s
 26.  Dani Rivas           TSR Kalex          1m45.313s  + 2.062s
 27.  Alex Marinelarena    TargoBankt Suter   1m45.322s  + 2.071s
 28.  Ricard Cardus        Forward Speed Up   1m45.375s  + 2.124s
 29.  Steven Odendaal      Arginano Speed Up  1m45.452s  + 2.201s
 30.  Johann Zarco         Ioda Suter         1m45.494s  + 2.243s
 31.  Doni Tata Pradita    Gresini Suter      1m45.581s  + 2.330s
 32.  Louis Rossi          Tech 3             1m45.796s  + 2.545s
 33.  Alberto Moncayo      Arginano Speed Up  1m46.152s  + 2.901s
 34.  Rafid Topan Sucipto  QMMF Speed Up      1m47.055s  + 3.804s
 

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/rabat-claims-breakthrough-pole

Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty