Marc Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) took his second pole position of the 2011 season in a rainy qualifying ahead of the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM Moto2 race. The 125cc World Champion set a fast lap of 2’05.312 at the end of a heated time battle, beating out Alex de Angelis of the JiR Moto2 team by 0.585s and Tech 3 Racing’s Smith by 1.305s. Smith, who posted a time of 2'06.617, will take his first front row Moto2 start in Sunday’s race.
Belgian rider Xavier Simeon (Tech 3 B) will lead the second row after a qualifying time of 2'06.757, with Randy Krummenacher (GP Team Switzerland Kiefer Racing) and Pol Espargaró (HP Tuenti Speed Up) joining him on the second row of the grid.
Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) appeared set to challenge for pole position until his bike slowed in the last part of a final hot lap, leaving the German rider in seventh in the dying seconds of the session. Mattia Pasini (Ioda Racing Project), who held the top time in qualifying at the halfway point, finished the session in eighth while Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Racing) completes row three in ninth.
Axel Pons (Pons HP 40) did not participate in the qualifying session and will miss the race following a crash with Ratthapark Wilairot (Thai Honda Singha-SAG) in FP3.
[Press Release and Photo Courtesy of MotoGP]
