Marquez crashes but to start fourth on the grid

Valencia: It doesn’t really rain in Autumn, here in the Spanish port city on the south-eastern coast splashed by the mighty Atlantic on one side and the Mediterranean Sea on the other.

Rain was expected on the D-day Sunday too, nonetheless riders reigned on Saturday, the day of qualifying as Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa readied for his one last fight for the grid placing after having taken the decision to hand up his leathers to become test driver with KTM.

Weather has been very rainy with forecast of 70 percent rain on Sunday, something that doesn’t go down well in Motorsports, especially for two-wheel riders. Cars could still take the onslaught of rain Gods, but that too is risky.

On Saturday, slick tyres were used for the first time this weekend with Zarco and Pol Espargaro completing for the top three positions.

The day was interspersed with rain showers and sometimes the sun coming on, but that played havoc with the team strategies as the engineers and team principal struggled with tyre selection.

The Qualifying 2 session, which decided the grid positions, took place on a dry track with damp patches, with world champion Marquez falling on his out-lap-the Spaniard appearing to dislocate his left shoulder once again as he rolled through the gravel.

The Repsol Honda rider was still holding his shoulder as he arrived back in the paddock, where he headed to the team truck to put the shoulder back in place before returning to the track to finish qualifying!

“There was pain in my shoulder and I wasn’t feeling as well as I should be for a race, but I wanted to come back and complete the qualifying even though I had nothing much at stake in terms of World Championship points,” said the reigning World Champion Marquez.

“I know there was injury but it was safe with tapes on. Otherwise, I would have been sitting at home and not risking,” said Marquez, who is planned to go under knife to get the surgery done and give himself enough time to recuperate before the 2019 season starts.

Pedrosa, who is making his final MotoGP appearance before retirement, will start ninth, as he would attempt for a grand swansong. It will take a miracle for him to fight at the front. Another Spaniard, Alex Rins on Suzuki will follow Vinales and Andrea Dovizioso third.

Dani was emotional on the eve of riding his last competitive MotoGP race.

“I have achieved a lot over the years. I have had great moments in winning the World Championship titles over the years,” said Pedrosa.

Asked whther he always planned to retire and race in front of the home crowd, Pedrosa laughed it off saying this year’s calendar was such that the final race was in Valencia.
“I couldn’t have asked for more. Its nice to go riding in front of cheering home fans he said.

Sunday’s grid: 
1. Maverick Viñales (Esp) Movistar Yamaha 1 min 31.312secs; 2. Alex Rins (Esp) Suzuki Ecstar 1:31.380; 3. Andrea Dovizioso (Ita) Ducati Team 1:31.392; 4. Danilo Petrucci (Ita) Pramac Ducati 1:31.414; 5. Marc Marquez (Esp) Repsol Honda 1:31.442; 6. Pol Espargaro (Esp) Red Bull KTM Factory 1:31.577; 7. Andrea Iannone (Ita) Suzuki Ecstar 1:31.629; 8. Aleix Espargaro (Esp) Factory Aprilia Gresini; 1:31.630; 9. Dani Pedrosa (Esp) Repsol Honda 1:32.140; 10. Jack Miller (Aus) Pramac Ducati 1:32.145.
Official Valencia MotoGP records:
Best lap: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 1:29.401 (2016)
Fastest race lap: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 1:31.171 (2016)