Motorcycling: Marquez Storms Towards Title With Valencia Pole
Muhammad Rameez Published November 11, 2017 | 08:10 PM
Marc Marquez tightened his grip on the MotoGP world championship on Saturday, by qualifying on pole for the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix with championship rival Andrea Dovizioso down the grid in ninth
Cheste, Spain, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Nov, 2017 ) :Marc Marquez tightened his grip on the MotoGP world championship on Saturday, by qualifying on pole for the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix with championship rival Andrea Dovizioso down the grid in ninth.
Holding a commanding 21-point lead in the championship standings, Honda's Marquez can only be denied a fourth MotoGP world championship if he finishes lower than 11th and Ducati's Dovizioso wins.
Marquez was even able to shrug off his 27th crash of the season after posting his best time of 1min 29.897sec for his eighth pole of the season. The Spaniard will be followed by France's Johann Zarco and Italian Andrea Iannone on the front row of the grid.
It was a disastrous Saturday for Dovizioso's hopes of putting pressure on Marquez as he limped onto the back of the third row. Marquez looked in ominous form as he posted the fastest time in both practice sessions on Saturday morning.
He recorded his best time early in the session. The champion in waiting then hit the floor, as he so often has this season, after running wide at turn four, but once again escaped unharmed despite his visible frustration.
"I was disappointed because when I stopped in the box I said to Santi, my mechanic, I didn't feel the tyre was ready," said Marquez. "For tomorrow we are good, we are in pole position, good rhythm and this is the most important thing." Marquez's time was never threatened by the chasing pack, with Zarco 0.349 seconds back in second and Iannone more than half a second back in third.
Dovizioso and Marquez's teammates Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa start on the second row in fourth and fifth respectively alongside Michele Pirro. Dovizioso will also need to battle past nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi (seventh) if he is to pull off an unlikely comeback for his first world title.
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From Sports
-
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
6 hours ago -
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
6 hours ago -
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
6 hours ago -
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
6 hours ago -
Bagnaia hits back with record Jerez practice lap
6 hours ago -
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
6 hours ago
-
Shahzaib Rind calls on Deputy Speaker Balochistan
8 hours ago -
Inter-university weightlifting championship kicks off at SAU
8 hours ago -
T20 World Cup 2024 Trophy unveiling ceremony held
8 hours ago -
Football: Italian Serie A table
9 hours ago -
Football: French Ligue 1 table
10 hours ago -
New Zealand cricket CEO visits PSCA, expresses satisfaction over security arrangements
10 hours ago