Repsol Honda's Pedrosa Takes Pole, Marquez 3rd in MotoGP Qualifying in Catalunya

Press Release www.repsolhondateam.com Gran Premi de Catalunya Round 7 - Saturday, June 14th 2014   Catalunya - Qualifying Report Weather conditions sunny 28°C Air temp 47°C Track temp 42% Humidity Pedrosa takes home pole position with Marquez third after late crash Local boy Dani Pedrosa has taken his first pole position since Catalunya last year at his home circuit with teammate Marc Marquez, who was been on pole every race so far this season, crashing out on his final run in qualifying. Dani, who is still recovering from his arm surgery five weeks ago, has been gradually improving all weekend after being tenth in Friday’s FP1. His time of 1’40.985 (lap 5/7) was just 0.092 off his pole record from 2013 (1’40.893). Marc had taken provisional pole on his first run, but again the 2013 World Champion and his team opted for a three-run qualifying to give him the best chance at his seventh consecutive pole of 2014. However, on his final run Marc crashed in turn one ending his session. Fortunately his time of 1’41.135, recorded on his first run, was enough for the front row for tomorrow’s 25 lap race. Team Quotes 1st - 1'40.985 "I am very happy to have taken pole position today, in front of my family and the home fans! I am also delighted that, for the first time this year, I felt good on the bike in qualifying. I'll try and get a good start from pole position tomorrow, I am sure that it will be very hot and we will have to manage the tyres well during the race, but we will try to do as well as possible!” 3rd - 1'41.135 "Today I made the first mistake of the season, so I need to apologise to the team because it was my fault. The strategy we had set out was coming together perfectly, but when riding with the last tyre I braked too late. I knew it was my last attempt, so I tried to go into the corner anyway. That was not the best choice; I should have written off the lap, but these things happen when you are riding at home; you always try to give a little bit extra. We know for tomorrow that there is no more room for improvement on that corner and that we have a good setup with which to fight for the win" qualifying results   Gran Premi de Catalunya - Round 7 Pos. Rider Num. Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap 1 Dani Pedrosa 26 ESP Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1'40.985 2 Jorge Lorenzo 99 ESP Yamaha Factory Racing YAMAHA 1'41.100 3 Marc Marquez 93 ESP Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1'41.135 4 Stefan Bradl 6 GER LCR Honda MotoGP HONDA 1'41.220 5 Valentino Rossi 46 ITA Yamaha Factory YAMAHA 1'41.290 6 Aleix Espargaro 41 ESP NGM Mobile Forward Racing YAMAHA 1'41.308 7 Andrea Dovizioso 4 ITA Ducati Team DUCATI 1'41.337 8 Bradley Smith 38 GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YAMAHA 1'41.491 9 Yonny Hernandez 68 COL Pramac Racing DUCATI 1'41.671 10 Pol Espargaro 44 ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YAMAHA 1'41.677 11 Andrea Iannone 29 ITA Pramac Racing DUCATI 1'41.751 12 Alvaro Bautista 19 ESP Go & Fun Honda Gresini HONDA 1'42.024 13 Cal Crutchlow 35 GBR Ducati Team DUCATI 1'42.578 14 Scott Redding 45 GBR Go & Fun Honda Gresini HONDA 1'42.730 15 Michele Pirro 51 ITA Ducati Team DUCATI 1'42.955 16 Nicky Hayden 69 USA Drive M7 Aspar HONDA 1'43.043 17 Colin Edwards 5 USA NGM Mobile Forward Racing YAMAHA 1'43.226 18 Karel Abraham 17 CZE Cardion AB Motoracing HONDA 1'43.360 19 Broc Parkes 23 AUS Paul Bird Motorsport PBM 1'43.530 20 Hiroshi Aoyama 7 JPN Drive M7 Aspar HONDA 1'43.564 21 Michael Laverty 70 GBR Paul Bird Motorsport ART & PBM 1'43.737 22 Hector Barbera 8 ESP Avintia Racing MotoGP FTR-KAWASAKI 1'44.115 23 Mike Di Meglio 63 FRA Avintia Racing MotoGP FTR-KAWASAKI 1'45.012 24 Michel Fabrizio 84 ITA IodaRacing Project IODA-SUTER 1'46.214 Copyright Free Images - For Editorial use only                                                 Circuit Information View circuit page at www.repsolhondateam.com Length 4.727 m / 2.937 miles Width 12m Left corners 5 Right corners 8 Longest straight 1.047 m / 0.651 miles Constructed 1991 Modified 1995     Circuits de Catalunya S.L. Mas "La Moreneta" PD 27 08160 Montmeló Barcelona   www.circuitcat.com   Pole Position 1m 40.893s (168.6km/h) Dani Pedrosa (Honda, 2013) Race Lap 1m 42.358s (166.251km/h) Dani Pedrosa (Honda, 2008) Race Time 43m 02.175s (164.756km/h) Dani Pedrosa (Honda, 2008) 2012 Race Winner Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 2013 Race Winner Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha)   Honda Racing Corporation 3-15-1, Senzui, Asaka-shi, Saitama-Pref., 351-0024 Japan