Silverstone Moto2: Nakagami denied Redding pole by only 0.04

Takaai Nakagami will start tomorrow’s Moto2 race at Silverstone from pole position, having denied Scott Redding a home pole by only 0.039 seconds.

Nakagami led for most of the session, despite a brief spell at the half way point with Tito Rabat topping the time sheets, but the Japanese rider controlled the session from start to finish.

Redding managed to improve his position up to second in the closing stages of the race, but was unable to bridge the last fraction of a gap over to Nakagami.

However, his lap was good enough to take second from Johann Zarco, although not by much; with the Frenchman finishing only 0.001 behind the Brit.

Tito Rabat, who will replace Redding at the Marc VDS squad next season, was fourth, Thomas Luthi was fifth, and Pol Espargaro, Redding’s main championship rival, was back in sixth.

Danny Kent was unlucky when a crash at the half way point saw his bike going up in flames and ruling him out of the remainder of the session, leaving him back in 27th after a promising weekend so far.

Wildcard Gino Rea was 20th, while deputising BSB Supersport racer Jason O’Halloran continues to improve to 24th.

Redding said after the session “I feel a lot more comfortable this weekend. We’ve moved the bike back to how it was at the beginning of the season, and just being comfortable on it has made me go a lot faster.”

1 30 Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN Italtrans Racing Team Kalex 265.5 2’07.039
2 45 Scott REDDING GBR Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex 263.2 2’07.078 0.039 / 0.039
3 5 Johann ZARCO FRA Came Iodaracing Project Suter 264.8 2’07.079 0.040 / 0.001
4 80 Esteve RABAT SPA Tuenti HP 40 Kalex 271.1 2’07.127 0.088 / 0.048
5 12 Thomas LUTHI SWI Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Racing Suter 268.7 2’07.152 0.113 / 0.025
6 40 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Tuenti HP 40 Kalex 270.4 2’07.213 0.174 / 0.061
7 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex 269.0 2’07.393 0.354 / 0.180
8 77 Dominique AEGERTER SWI Technomag carXpert Suter 270.0 2’07.620 0.581 / 0.227
9 19 Xavier SIMEON BEL Maptaq SAG Zelos Team Kalex 262.0 2’07.738 0.699 / 0.118
10 81 Jordi TORRES SPA Aspar Team Moto2 Suter 263.8 2’07.927 0.888 / 0.189
20 8 Gino REA GBR Gino Rea Montaze Broz Racing FTR 259.9 2’08.893 1.854 / 0.144
24 22 Jason O’HALLORAN AUS JiR Moto2 Motobi 261.8 2’09.683 2.644 / 0.087
27 52 Danny KENT GBR Tech 3 Tech 3 269.4 2’10.018 2.979 / 0.196