[MonsterPatrol]

Rossi tops another FP session this weekend, Jorge just 0.1 off. Pedrosa and Marc doing 1.33s consistently. FP4 is the one to watch out for. We'll see race simulations on different tyres and bike swaps. Rossi showed good race pace on the hard rear.

Most difficult qualifying to predict. Hope the rain stays away, will be great to see the pole position record broken.

Pedrosa on pole? Only a couple of hours to go!

[MonsterPatrol]

Last 100 MotoGP poles: Marquez - 25, Stoner - 23, Lorenzo - 22, Pedrosa - 14, Rossi & Dovi - 3

[Urban_Nomad]

From www.crash.net (at work, cannot watch the qualifying) :(

13:11 UK Time - Marquez is testing Honda's '14 chassis with the '15 swingarm in a bid to tame his RC213V on the brakes. He goes fast here but runs off at T1 - the reigning world champion is looking a little desperate under braking.

13:12 UK Time - Incidentally, Marquez had 2 big moments under braking this morning, the first of which caused an eventual crash. Those braking issues are far from cured.

13:14 UK time - Wow. Marquez may be struggling to stop the bike but he blitzes the field with a 1m 33.58s lap, 0.7s faster than the rest

13:15 UK Time - Marquez's last lap was just 1 tenth off his pole position record from 2014. He can still go fast on a one-off lap but that consistency is still questionable.

14:04 UK Time - Marquez has run wide again at turn 1

What is he doing? He really needs to focus on being consistent. I dont think the tools available (the bike i.e.) is the problem here. Didnt Pedrosa just break a record on one of those?

He has got to chill & bring this one home!

[ebonho]

Am in office man. How is papa doing?

[Parth46]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Am in office man. How is papa doing?

A 1:32 and VR46 takes POLE POSITION!!!!

PHEW!! What an amazing flying lap at the death by THE DOCTOR to take pole!! In the process also breaks Casey Stoner's pole position record with a 1:32 being achieved for the first time.

My work from home today is totally justified!

Lorenzo down in 8th place and MM93 in 3rd with EsA in second! It's going to be a cracker tomorrow! Maybe JLO can take some tips from Rossi about how to win from the 3d row, LOL.

VR46 is dead serious for his 10th and I'm loving it!

EDIT : Was amazing to watch in live, if only it was on Ten HD and not Ten Action man!

Qualifying 2:
1. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 32.627s [Lap 8/9] 313km/h (Top Speed)
2. Aleix Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1m 32.858s +0.231s [6/8] 301km/h
3. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 32.886s +0.259s [8/8] 315km/h
4. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 32.987s +0.360s [8/9] 314km/h
5. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 1m 33.013s +0.386s [7/8] 311km/h
6. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 33.016s +0.389s [7/8] 316km/h
7. Cal Crutchlow GBR CWM LCR Honda (RC213V) 1m 33.028s +0.401s [7/8] 312km/h
8. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 33.042s +0.415s [7/8] 308km/h
9. Maverick Viñales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* 1m 33.076s +0.449s [6/7] 304km/h
10. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 33.112s +0.485s [5/7] 318km/h
11. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.1) 1m 33.126s +0.499s [5/7] 309km/h
12. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 1m 33.236s +0.609s [6/8] 312km/h

[Urban_Nomad]

Not sure how accurate this is. from crash.net again:

13:18 UK Time
Rossi's Yamaha looked to be on rails in the morning - he's 1 of only a few men to lap the circuit at present using the hard tyre. Less than a tenth separate 2nd to 5th (Iannone, Lorenzo, Pedrosa, Rossi).

13:49 UK Time
Rossi goes to pole! A full 0.2s faster than Espargaro! Pedrosa goes 3rd!

14:05 UK Time
Assen FP2 results: Pedrosa, Marquez, Rossi, Iannone, Crutchlow, Lorenzo, Dovizioso, A Espargaro, Petrucci, Vinales, P Espargaro...

14:05 UK Time
Pedrosa ends Assen FP2 fastest from Marquez and Rossi

Edit - Please ignore. Parth has the latest updte. Lucky Parth gets to "work from home" (the whitest lie of the 21st century btw)

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Sheel

I really forgot that there is a race this weekend & I made plans to drive to some place. But can't afford to miss this as well & repeats don't excite me.

Seems, will have to reschedule it.

Thanks for bumping this thread

WTH, Forgot Assen runs on Saturday or it is an Assen race.

And I can't reschedule my plan, will have to drive tomorrow. Gonna miss this :(

When are the repeats? :-(

[badri]

An absolute stunner by Vale! I was expecting him to be on front row or second but not on pole. If it is a dry race, looks like no one can touch him.

Marquez is also quick but very ragged. It was scary to watch him fishtail under braking. At one point he almost barged into the rider ahead of him ( Aleix Espargaro I guess). While he is more confident with the 2014 chassis, I'm not sure it is going to help him fight for the win. Podium may be possible.

All the Q2 runners broke the lap record set by Stoner. Very high level of competition indeed!

[ebonho]

Damn damn damn damn damn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One time papa decides to get his arthritic backside into something close to his mercurial race pace, and papa sr. is stuck in office.

Tell me more guys, whoever saw him fly.

Post some videos here to show the others how its REALLY meant to be done.

Papa is back. All hail papa.

[Parth46]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Tell me more guys, whoever saw him fly.

Post some videos here to show the others how its REALLY meant to be done.

I saw him FLY, and it was just the best thing ever.

The 15 mins of Q2 were an absolute blur - EsA set the bar with a low 1:33 and Marquez immediately bettered it and went right on top. Lorenzo bettered it too and moved to 4th with Rossi getting a 1:34 in his first Q2 lap and slid to 8th.

Then, with just two minutes remaining, and Rossi on his final lap, all the cameras in the circuit were on the Blue/Yellow Yamaha and when the number read 1:32, and the letters "ROS" went right to the top, the grandstands erupted as if the race itself was won! It was surreal since even I don't watch qualifying much.

People talk about MM's last ditch flying lap in Argentina, but this one was just so special man, it's tough to put it in words.

I'm trying to find the video, but Dorna has done a hell of a job to monetize their apps and videos, it's just not available anywhere for now. If someone has a good link, please post it here.

I'm telling you man, this guy is DEAD SERIOUS about his tenth and the way he was throwing around his Yamaha was just amazing. Lorenzo's expression was worth a million bucks when he saw his number was 8th. CLASSIC! And even though MM is on the front grid, his RCV is still fishtailing like crazy under braking and in corners and it makes me very nervous about the antics he'l try to pull at the first corner tomorrow. He almost ended up rear-ending EsA on the final lap and braked just in time to avoid hitting him.

If anyone needed proof that the 36 year old still has just as strong a desire to win as he did when he made his World Championship debut 19 years ago, look no further. It's a major psychological blow to all his detractors.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Parth46

And even though MM is on the front grid, his RCV is still fishtailing like crazy under braking and in corners and it makes me very nervous about the antics he'l try to pull at the first corner tomorrow. He almost ended up rear-ending EsA on the final lap and braked just in time to avoid hitting him.

I will follow him to the ends of the earth with the SWAT tactical baton under the carpet of my Storme if he even brushes papa.

It's a major psychological blow to all his detractors.

Does it really matter?

[Parth46]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Does it really matter?

Well, not for us and millions of others who've always believed, but for many critics who thought JLO will keep qualifying higher and keep winning on a trot, it's a major major blow when VR stamps his dead serious intent like this.

Seriously, this is just one of many things that make him god - at this age, to completely keep re-inventing yourself, wrap your head around things that might seem almost contrarian to your method, requires an immense leap of faith and and an insatiable hunger to win.

RESPECT. And even before the race, it's just a performance that makes you realize you're witnessing something very special.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Parth46

when VR stamps his dead serious intent like this.

He is stamping his class.

He is telling the world, look guys, this new way of "racing" is crap, but if you must do it, let me show you how it should be done.

Now come close to take a sniff.

If you can.

[MonsterPatrol]

Can understand the excitement here of the pole position. Come rare don't they? 2nd in 5 years
Seems like no one else has taken a pole position ever,all have started from 2nd. LOL

[schakravarthy]

I'm feeling a bit nervous actually; having Marc trailing Rossi!!
And that's some energy packed riding from Lorenzo! Good progress in the opening lap!

Edit- looks like Lorenzo has comfortably settled into a waiting game. Conserving tyres for later, probably.