New Misano pole position record for Stoner, on race tyres

Round 13: San Marino GP – Qualifying

Casey Stoner secured his eighth pole position of the season in Misano today, and in doing so set a new circuit pole position record. The old record was set by the Australian in 2008 in the era of tyre competition on Bridgestone’s high-grip qualifying tyres, but now in the Official Tyre Supplier era there are no qualifying tyres meaning that Stoner’s new record was set on race rubber.

• Misano World Circuit, Saturday 3 September 2011 
• Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium, Hard. Rear (asymmetric): Medium, Hard 

The primary aim of race tyres is to have sufficient durability to last race-distance in contrast to the outright of grip offered by qualifying tyres over only a handful of laps, so for Stoner to set a new pole record clearly indicates the ongoing development of Bridgestone’s MotoGP tyres during the three years of single tyre supply.

Furthermore Jorge Lorenzo, who will start tomorrow’s race from second on the grid, and Dani Pedrosa in third were also both faster than the existing pole record, highlighting what has so far been a very fast weekend. This is the first time that Bridgestone have selected asymmetric rear slicks for Misano and the laptimes attest to the performance advantage they offer. The top seven riders all lapped faster than the existing lap record too during qualifying.

The top three all set their fastest laps on the harder option front slick and the softer rear, which looks to be the primary combination for the race. The second row for tomorrow’s race comprises Ben Spies, Marco Simoncelli and Andrea Dovizioso. Again today conditions were fine and dry, and more of the same is expected tomorrow when the 28 lap MotoGP race will start at 1400hrs local time.

Hirohide Hamashima – Assistant to Director, Motorsport Tyre Development Division

“We saw yesterday that the laptimes were fast but for the top three to beat the pole position record, which was set back in 2008 by Casey on our qualifying tyres, is very impressive particularly as qualifying tyres are no longer used in the single tyre era so these times were set on race tyres. This means that machine and tyre development are so important. Clearly tyre performance here this weekend is good, particularly of the harder front and both rear slick options. I am pleased that a new pole record has been set as it demonstrates that we are working hard to continue to improve tyre performance even in the current era of single tyre supply, and not resting on our laurels. We have said in the past that our competition is the stopwatch, and this today is a definite victory for us. It is only the fifth outright pole record that has fallen since the start of single tyre supply in 2009 without a modification to a circuit or its tarmac, so I am very satisfied after today, and of course must congratulate Casey, Jorge and Dani in particular for their performance. Casey achieved his theoretical fastest time as he was fastest in every sector of his best lap, but Jorge’s theoretical best puts him only 0.035second adrift. All three are very close in laptime so I anticipate a good and close-fought race tomorrow.”

source: bsmotorsport.com

MAHINDRA IN THE POINTS AGAIN

Mahindra rider Marcel Schrötter fought hard for 15th place at Misano today, battling to the end to overcome not only his own difficulties but also his nearest rivals to make sure of another points-scoring finish.

Team-mate Danny Webb finished 21st, dropping back after a strong start that saw him running in the top 15 with Schrötter in the early stages, only to be slowed as he struggled to match the pace of his team-mate.

Schrötter (18, from Germany) had qualified on the fifth row of the grid, and got a good start to maintain his position, and even move forward in the early laps. Conditions were hot and dry, and the pace remorseless, with few crashes or retirements.

As the race wore on, a couple of slips meant Marcel lost touch with the group, but he regained his rhythm and finished the race strongly … in spite of problems with numbness in his right (throttle) hand, and at the end with vision, as sweat ran into his eyes.

Webb (20, from England), already troubled with a left hand injury that ruled him out of the Indy GP last Sunday, ran with and sometimes ahead of the other silver-and-red Mahindra in the early laps. By half distance however, he had dropped to 20th, and lost one more place in the closing laps.

The San Marino and Rimini Riviera GP was the 12th of 17 rounds in the 125 World Championship. The next race is at Aragon in Spain in two weeks.

MARCEL SCHRÖTTER – 15th Position

A tough race, but at least we got in the points. I got a good start and in the first few laps I was able to catch the group in front of me. But riders were making mistakes which spread us out, then I had a near high-side at the hairpin that meant I lost touch. It was hard to get my rhythm again, and my hand was sleeping again mid-race – I had to try to move it when I could on the straight. In the last laps the sweat was running into my eyes and I couldn’t see well, but I made sure I kept my place in the points.

DANNY WEBB – 21st Position

The first seven laps were pretty good – me and Marcel were well up. Then I started having problems with acceleration; I had a lot of near crashes, and I couldn’t push. Marcel is not having the same problem, so maybe it is my riding style: I am quite aggressive and he rides more smoothly. This has never been a good track for me. I’m looking forward to the next one.

source: mahindraracing.com