Jerez Moto2: Rabat blows away Redding for Moto2 pole

Esteve Rabat blew away the opposition to take pole position for his home GP by over 0.4 seconds from early leader Scott Redding.

Redding had kept his Marc VDS Kalex at the front of the grid for most of the session, until Rabat put in a lap with seven minutes to go that no one could match. Japanese rider Takaai Nakagami took the final front row spot, rounding it out for Kalex.

Rabat’s teammate Pol Espargaro was fourth, Jordi Torres was fifth, and Xavier Simeon finished off the second row.

The classes’ two remaining Brits Danny Kent and Kyle Smith were side-by-side back in 24th and 25th, almost two seconds off the pace set by the pole man.

Redding commented after “normally in testing with this track we’re a second faster because it’s faster when it’s colder. We were a bit indecisive on tyres, which cost us some, and it was always hard to get a good lap time. I’m looking forward to the race tomorrow, and it’ll be a good fight, but we’ll have to see who comes out on top.”

1 80 Esteve RABAT SPA Tuenti HP 40 Kalex 1’43.251
2 45 Scott REDDING GBR Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex 1’43.698 0.447 / 0.447
3 30 Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN Italtrans Racing Team Kalex 1’43.855 0.604 / 0.157
4 40 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Tuenti HP 40 Kalex 1’43.950 0.699 / 0.095
5 81 Jordi TORRES SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 Suter 1’43.990 0.739 / 0.040
6 19 Xavier SIMEON BEL Desguaces La Torre Maptaq Kalex 1’43.994 0.743 / 0.004
7 18 Nicolas TEROL SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 Suter 1’44.008 0.757 / 0.014
8 23 Marcel SCHROTTER GER Desguaces La Torre SAG Kalex 1’44.017 0.766 / 0.009
9 12 Thomas LUTHI SWI Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Racing Suter 1’44.055 0.804 / 0.038
10 95 Anthony WEST AUS QMMF Racing Team Speed Up 1’44.27 1.020 / 0.216
24 52 Danny KENT GBR Tech 3 Tech 3 1’45.177 1.926 / 0.127
25 9 Kyle SMITH GBR Blusens Avintia Kalex 1’45.188 1.937 / 0.011