Due to yellow flags, Pedro Acosta’s best lap is cancelled – This puts Celestino Vietti on pole ahead of the World Championship leader – Tony Arbolino on row three
Local hero Celestino Vietti has secured pole position for his Moto2 home race at the Misano World Circuit. For the first time since Austin in the spring, the Italian will start from the best grid position. Yellow flags also played a part in Q2, as Pedro Acosta had his fastest lap wiped out.
Acosta was considered favourite for pole before qualifying and he also set the fastest time. On his next lap, the Spaniard also beat that time, but yellow flags were given for a crash by another rider.
Shortly afterwards, Celestino Vietti crossed the finish line with his personal best lap. He was a tad slower than Acosta. But it was precisely this time that was cancelled for Acosta because of the yellow flags. So Vietti was ahead with his 1:36.201 minutes (Q2 result).
“I am very happy because we worked really well this weekend and made really good progress,” said the Fantic rider. “For the race I am confident. I know Pedro is very fast and I hope I can fight with him.”
With his second best lap, Acosta was 0.080 seconds behind. “It was close,” the Spaniard breathed at Parc ferme. “But it was also close in the sense that almost everyone still crashed at the end.”
“I don’t know if it was because of the wind or because the grip level here is so high and there was just too much pushing. Anyway, our goal was the first row of the grid. We achieved that. The race is tomorrow. Let’s enjoy it. “
He was NOT giving that one up!
Celestino Vietti goes TOP as @37_pedroacosta slows down! SanMarinoGP pic.twitter.com/moY8ocFB9C
– MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) September 9, 2023
It was a hectic final few minutes. Alonso Lopez, Jake Dixon and Somkiat Chantra crashed and caused yellow flags at short intervals. Wildcard starter Mattia Pasini also had a crash in Q2. All were uninjured.
Manuel Gonzalez secured a place on the front row of the grid in third. Positions four to six went to Aron Canet, Pasini and Lopez. Attacking from the third row on Sunday will be Joe Roberts and the Marc VDS duo of Sam Lowes and Tony Arbolino.
Q1: Closing time for IntactGP
For the second time in a row, Arbolino had to compete in Q1. In contrast to Barcelona, the Marc VDS rider made it into Q2 this time. On Saturday things went much better for Arbolino than in the Friday practice sessions.
In the first section, Arbolino was measured just one thousandth of a second slower than Bo Bendsneyder. The Dutchman set the best time with 1:36.676 minutes. Gonzalez entered the second section in third place. Zonta van den Goorbergh also progressed (Q1 result).
It can’t get any closer!
Just 0.001 between @bobendsneyder and @TonyArbolino SanMarinoGP pic. twitter.com/mbQR7fsnNJ
– MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) September 9, 2023
For IntactGP it was closing time. Senna Agius was sixth in Q1 and Lukas Tulovic eleventh. As Dennis Foggia is penalised three places on the grid, Tulovic will be in 24th position on Sunday.
Albert Areans, who last stood on the podium for the first time in the Moto2 class in Barcelona, did not get back on his bike on Saturday. The Ajo rider dislocated his left shoulder in a crash on Friday. The doctors therefore did not give him clearance to start.
The Moto2 race over 22 laps will start on Sunday at 12:15 p.m.
