Second MotoGP™ Pole Position of 2020 for Red Bull KTM’s Pol Espargaro

MotoGP 2020 - Round 13, Valencia (Spain)

Red Bull KTM will start the thirteenth round of 2020 MotoGP from Pole Position as Pol Espargaro conquered difficult damp conditions at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit to set the fastest lap on Saturday. All three KTM RC16s are placed inside the top ten of the grid at the Spanish venue for the 27 laps on Sunday afternoon.


Second Pole Position of 2020 for Red Bull KTM & Pol Espargaro
Miguel Oliveira tops FP4, enters Q2 and sits 8th on the grid, Brad Binder is 10th
3 KTM RC4s in the top four of the Moto3 class after Q2

The Gran Premio de Europa starts the final consecutive triple of MotoGP events this season. The first of two consecutive meetings at the flat and twisty circuit in Valencia has been marked by heavy showers that created wet and then damp and drying track conditions through Free Practice and Qualification.
 
Pol Espargaro and Brad Binder put their KTM RC16s straight into Q2 with strong efforts and promising speed on Friday afternoon. Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Miguel Oliveira was the lead rider through Q1 and also joined his brandmates in the dash to organize the first four rows of the MotoGP grid. Iker Lecuona was forced to miss the Grand Prix due to Covid-19 quarantine regulations.The 20-year old Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider provided negative test results but his brother and personal assistant had tested positive.
 
Espargaro, riding at the venue where he delivered KTM’s first MotoGP podium in 2018, pushed hard on his final flying lap to clock the Pole and earn P1 ahead of Alex Rins and Takaaki Nakagami. Oliveira carried his positive pace and momentum into Q2 to capture 8th while Binder – who needs to complete a Long Lap penalty for his role in the early race crash at the MotorLand Aragon circuit two weeks ago – was two tenths of a second further back in 10th.
 
Pol Espargaro: “I don’t know how that lap came along! I was sitting in the box in Q1 watching Miguel riding so well and so smooth and decided to go all-in and really push for the one lap that was very difficult in these conditions. I felt fast and even had a little left for the final corners. When I saw the 40.4 time I said: ‘that’s enough for today’. We’ll go for it tomorrow now.”
 
Miguel Oliveira: “It was a good day. I’m satisfied with all the sessions. I was fast from the first moment in the morning and obviously I’m happy about the result from FP4 and Q1. It could have been slightly better in Q2 but I think overall we can be delighted with the eighth position for tomorrow’s race.”
 
Brad Binder: “Today was OK but it was quite difficult in the wet for me. I was battling for good speed and trying to work out how much I can push in the difficult conditions. All-in-all I’m quite happy with tenth and I was a lot faster in Q2 than the previous one. I hope we have a good dry session in Warm-up so I can do some laps and get set for the race. The weather looks promising.”
 
Moto2 & Moto3
 
Red Bull KTM Ajo KTM’s Raul Fernandez was just three tenths of a second away from a sixth Pole Position of 2020 with his KTM RC4 but will finally sit in the middle of the first row. Next to the Spaniard is SKY Racing Team VR46’s Celestino Vietti in 3rd place while championship leader Albert Arenas will head the second row in 4th.
 
Jorge Martin was 6th fastest in Moto2 qualification while Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Tetsuta Nagashima took 22nd.
 
In the latest episode of the 2020 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup David Salvador was a clear winner. Pedro Acosta was on Pole Position but suffered his first DNF of the season. He still carries a large championship lead with the second race coming on Sunday in Valencia and then the final double at the same circuit next week.
 
Races: November 8th, 2020 – Moto3 11.00 | Moto2 12.20 | MotoGP 14.00 CET
 
Results Qualifying MotoGP Gran Premio de Europa
 
1. Pol Espargaro (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:40.434
2. Alex Rins (ESP) Suzuki +0.041
3. Takaaki Nakagami (JPN) Honda +0.096
4. Johann Zarco (FRA) Ducati +0.143
5. Joan Mir (ESP) Suzuki +0.270
8. Miguel Oliveira (POR) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.894
10. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +1.347
 
Results Qualifying Moto2 Gran Premio de Europa
 
1. Xavi Vierge (ESP) 1:38.936
2. Joe Roberts (USA) +0.181
3. Sam Lowes (GBR) +0.183
6. Jorge Martin (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.520
22. Tetsuta Nagashima (JPN) Red Bull KTM Ajo (Q1) 1:47.432
 
Results Qualifying Moto3 Gran Premio de Europa
 
1. John McPhee (GBR) Honda 1:52.252
2. Raul Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.371
3. Celestino Vietti (ITA) KTM +0.411
4. Albert Arenas (ESP) KTM +569
 
Contact:
Press & PR Manager
Sebastian Kuhn
+43 676 599 0084
sebastian.kuhn@ktm.com