Misano MotoGP Qualifying Results: Vinales sets record and airbag off

Maverick Vinales will start the 2020 San Marino MotoGP at Misano from pole position as his record-breaking lap headed up a historic 1-2-3-4 result for a dominant Yamaha team in qualifying.

The Spaniard left it late to make his play for the top spot, a brilliant 1m 31.411secs not only putting three tenths between himself and provisional leader Franco Morbidelli, but allowing him to smash Jorge Lorenzo’s now erstwhile lap record.

A repeat of his pole position from 2019, it is also Vinales’ second pole position of the season as he eyes a first win of the year to give his beleaguered title hopes a timely boost.

Perhaps more significantly though Vinales headed up a Yamaha 1-2-3-4, the first time in the team’s long history of grand prix racing it has achieved such a feat. 

Moreover, it did so comfortably with Vinales, fellow front row starters Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo, plus fourth place man Valentino Rossi the only riders to break into the 1m 31secs bracket.

Jack Miller and Pecco Bagnaia head up the ‘best of the rest’ from fifth and sixth, the latter doing so particularly impressively given he still needs crutches to move around off the bike.

Alex Rins and Joan Mir head row three together with title contender Andrea Dovizioso, while Johann Zarco sneaked another top ten start from Q1-qualifiers Pol Espargaro - who suffered his second big crash of the day - and Miguel Oliveira.

Missing out on Q2, Aleix Espargaro was the best Aprilia in 13th, just ahead of Takaaki Nakagami, who could only manage 14th on a day to forget for HRC, who would see its factory riders Stefan Bradl and Alex Marquez yet again rooted to the bottom of the timesheets in 19th and 21st respectively.

2020 San Marino MotoGP, Misano - Qualifying Results