[ad_1]
MOTOGP
DUCATI MEDIA
Ducati’s Peco Banaia took the crucial pole position of the final MotoGP race of the year, the Solidarity GP, while points leader Jorge Martin was reduced to 4th – in the crucial battle between the two riders for this year’s championship.
The Solidarity GP is hosted at the Circuit de Catalunya in place of the Valencia GP which was scheduled to host the season finale. However, following the recent flood tragedy in the Valencia region, the race was moved to Montmelo – hence its title, Solidarity GP.
Unlike Francesco Banaiapou who won pole position, Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin didn’t show his speed today and was limited to 4th on the grid. However, Martin – thanks to his points lead – can secure this year’s title if he wins today’s Sprint race.
Banaia set a lap of 1:38.641 (on fresh tires in GP24) in his final attempt in Q2 qualifying, and his time was enough to beat – if only by 55 milliseconds – Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, in last competitive three days of the Spaniard in the sport.
Gresini Ducati’s Marc Marquez took third, taking advantage of the Banaia gap, while Franco Morbidelli (Pramac Ducati) and Pedro Acosta (KTM) rounded out the top six behind 4th Martin.
So, with pole position for both the Sprint race and Sunday’s main GP, Peko Banaia is looking to burn out his relatively slim hopes of winning his third consecutive MotoGP world championship.
The Italian trails Martin by 24 points, who is now aiming for victory in today’s Sprint (16/11, 16:00) to “lock in” his first title in the sport.
[ad_2]