The CFMOTO European Privilege Aspar rider finished 193 thousandths off Senna Agius. David Alonso failed to set a valid time and will start from the sixth row of the grid
The CFMOTO European Privilege Aspar team came within less than two-tenths of a second of having back-to-back Moto2 pole positions at Misano. Last year, Dani Holgado was the fastest rider on Saturday at the Misano – Marco Simoncelli Circuit, and today he finished the session just 193 thousandths behind Australian rider Senna Agius. Holgado completed an excellent final sector: in the third sector, he was improving by nearly four-tenths on the best time up to that point. Ultimately, he only managed to reduce a few hundredths off the Australian’s time, only to see Agius improve again and secure pole. Joining them on the front row will be Ángel Piqueras.
David Alonso will start from seventeenth on the grid after failing to record a valid timed lap at the Misano circuit. The Colombian rider had set a 1:34.220, but the lap was cancelled for exceeding track limits. With that time, the CFMOTO European Privilege Aspar rider would have started from tenth place tomorrow. Realizing he needed to set another time, Alonso returned to the track on a fresh tyre but was unable to complete the lap after becoming involved in an incident with other riders who had just exited the pits. The Colombian was unable to go out again, meaning he will have to fight his way up from the sixth row of the grid tomorrow.
2nd Dani Holgado 1:33.911 (+0.193): “I’m very happy with the result. It was a tense session; we were all riding very fast, and the level of competition was high. I put in several good laps riding solo, without any reference points. It’s a shame about the last lap: I was coming in fast but made a mistake. I was in Escrig’s slipstream, which was helping me, but when it was time to brake, I was carrying more speed yet braked at the same spot. It was hard to stop the bike. I feel really good in the final section of the circuit, though I’m still lacking a bit in the opening section. It’s going to be a very physical race because the tyres have a lot of grip, which makes you tire much faster. Staying calm tomorrow will be key. I had a good race last year—I finished third—but the end was quite a struggle. I’ll try to stay at the front to avoid battles and look for a chance to attack and get a good result.”
17th David Alonso (no time set): “I’m okay, which is the main thing, and I have a clear plan for tomorrow. I felt good on the bike during the few laps I managed to complete. I had prepared to give it my all in the final part of the session because I knew my previous lap time had been cancelled for exceeding track limits. During that second run, I encountered two riders who didn’t act correctly; they got between Senna and me while we were pushing hard. As they tried to match our pace, one of them crashed—likely because his tyres weren’t up to temperature—and I couldn’t avoid him. That was the end of my session.”
