For the first time in his career and ahead of a landmark, Andrea Migno (Mugen Race) has claimed pole position thanks to a 1:38.683 in Moto3 Q2 at the Valencia Grand Prix.
The Italian beat home hero Marcos Ramirez (Leopard Racing) by 0.274 on Saturday afternoon, with Valencian rider Jaume Masia (Mugen Race) completing the front row but a couple of further tenths in arrears.
It was Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers) who set the early lightweight class benchmark in the fight for pole, the Italian pocketing a 1:39.603 to lead Masia by a tenth after the riders had completed a couple of flying laps each. However, Migno and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) then moved the goalposts as the duo shot to P1 and P2 respectively, with Migno holding a fairly considerable two-tenth advantage.
Disaster then struck for Arbolino at Turn 2, however, a highside on the exit sending him out of Q2, although he’s fit to race. Meanwhile, having come into the pits, the lightweight class riders then filed out for their last attacks on pole.
Doing so first was Q1 graduate and reigning Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia Arizona 77), the future full-time Moto3 rider slotting his KTM into P3 before a flurry of times came rolling in.
Red and orange sectors filled the timing screens but there was one rider going faster than the rest: Migno. 0.3 up after three splits, the Italian took the chequered flag to regain pole position after Ramirez had briefly taken over at the summit. Masia’s second run saw the Spaniard pick up P3 on Saturday afternoon for his first front row start since taking pole in Argentina.
Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), another home hero and the man in Arbolino’s sights for second overall on Sunday, was one of the last riders to cross the line as he jumped from P13 to P4 on his final lap.
Rookie and compatriot Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) starts alongside him as he kept his impressive speed at the venue going at his local venue, ahead of a career best for Filip Salac (Redox PrüstelGP) by far as the Czech rider reaching the top 10 on Saturday for the first time and is sixth.
2019 Champion Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) is 0.597 back from pole as he aims to win four in a row and be the first to do so, and the Italian was followed by two Q1 graduates in P8 and P9 – Suzuki and Darryn Binder (CIP – Green Power). Binder, however, will start from pitlane after a penalty for irresponsible riding.
That boosts Romano Fenati (VNE Snipers) up a place after he completed the fastest top 10 in Moto3 qualifying. Tatay pipped Arbolino just behind.
Migno – on his 100th Grand Prix weekend – Ramirez and Masia is your final lightweight class front row of 2019, but who will be the final winner? Find out on Sunday morning at 11:00 local time (GMT+1)!
Qualifying results – Top 3:
1 – Andrea Migno (ITA – KTM) 1’38.683
2 – Marcos Ramirez (SPA – Honda) +0.274
3 – Jaume Masia (SPA – KTM) +0.424