VALENTINO ROSSI FRONT ROW RETURN AT ARAGON
Front row start for Valentino Rossi at Aragon MotoGP race – Photo: LAT
Valentino Rossi, who broke his leg just 23 day’s ago, has qualified on the front row of the grid for this weekends MotoGP race at Aragon, Spain.
Rossi time was good enough for third on the grid, with his Yamaha teammate Maverick Viñales setting the pace in the second qualifying session to put his bike on pole position for the race. Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo, who had to go through Q1 to get the second qualifying session, set the second fastest time to complete the front row.
“It’s a surprise for me and us, because I didn’t know what to expect.” said Rossi after qualifying.
“A week ago I started to think maybe it was possible to ride here, and I did some laps with the R1 thinking it could be possible but with some pain. But the leg has improved every day.”
Championship leader Marc Marquez crashed out late in the session after pushing too hard into Turn 12. The Honda rider had set a time good enough for fifth earlier in the qualifying.
Aussie Jack Miller will start from 13th after narrowly missing out of a Q2 position by just 0.090 of a second.
MotoGP – AragonGP – Qualifying Results
| Pos | Num | Rider | Nat | Team | Bike | Time | Gap 1st/prev |
| 1 | 25 | Maverick VIÑALES | SPA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 1’47.635 | |
| 2 | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 1’47.735 | 0.100 / 0.100 |
| 3 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 1’47.815 | 0.180 / 0.080 |
| 4 | 35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | GBR | LCR Honda | Honda | 1’47.830 | 0.195 / 0.015 |
| 5 | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1’47.963 | 0.328 / 0.133 |
| 6 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1’48.107 | 0.472 / 0.144 |
| 7 | 04 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 1’48.137 | 0.502 / 0.030 |
| 8 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 1’48.159 | 0.524 / 0.022 |
| 9 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | Pull&Bear Aspar Team | Ducati | 1’48.187 | 0.552 / 0.028 |
| 10 | 29 | Andrea IANNONE | ITA | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 1’48.289 | 0.654 / 0.102 |
| 11 | 5 | Johann ZARCO | FRA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 1’48.402 | 0.767 / 0.113 |
| 12 | 36 | Mika KALLIO | FIN | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 1’48.471 | 0.836 / 0.069 |
| 13 | 43 | Jack MILLER | AUS | EG 0,0 Marc VDS | Honda | 1’48.307 | Q1 / Q1 |
| 14 | 44 | Pol ESPARGARO | SPA | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 1’48.387 | Q1 / 0.080 |
| 15 | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | CZE | Pull&Bear Aspar Team | Ducati | 1’48.467 | Q1 / 0.080 |
| 16 | 9 | Danilo PETRUCCI | ITA | OCTO Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1’48.908 | Q1 / 0.441 |
| 17 | 76 | Loris BAZ | FRA | Reale Avintia Racing | Ducati | 1’48.911 | Q1 / 0.003 |
| 18 | 94 | Jonas FOLGER | GER | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 1’49.034 | Q1 / 0.123 |
| 19 | 8 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Reale Avintia Racing | Ducati | 1’49.052 | Q1 / 0.018 |
| 20 | 42 | Alex RINS | SPA | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 1’49.233 | Q1 / 0.181 |
| 21 | 53 | Tito RABAT | SPA | EG 0,0 Marc VDS | Honda | 1’49.258 | Q1 / 0.025 |
| 22 | 45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | OCTO Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1’49.288 | Q1 / 0.030 |
| 23 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 1’49.578 | Q1 / 0.290 |
| 24 | 22 | Sam LOWES | GBR | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 1’50.769 | Q1 / 1.191 |
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