Texas Moto2: Late lap leaves Rabat on pole

Tito Rabat has taken pole position at Austin with a late fast lap, butting in a 2″10.13 lap at the chequered flag to knock Johann Zarco off the top spot he’d held for most of the session.

Rabat, winner last time out in Qatar, has been unimpressive all weekend, but his blistering late lap was not only 0.266 faster than Zarco in second but considerably faster than Scott Redding’s absolute lap record from 2013.

Zarco has been impressive all weekend on the British Caterham bike, and was able to hold off the Suter of Dominique Aegerter and the surprise packages of Xavier Simeon and Julian Simon in fourth and fifth.

Sam Lowes had another impressive qualifying session to finish 17th and best Speed-Up bike, while his fellow Brit GIno Rea had more bad luck when a crash only minutes into the session left him 34th and last on the grid for tomorrow.

1 53 Esteve RABAT SPA Marc VDS Racing Team  Kalex  2’10.135 
2 5 Johann ZARCO FRA AirAsia Caterham  Caterham Suter 2’10.401 0.266 / 0.266
3 77 Dominique AEGERTER SWI Technomag carXpert Suter  2’10.422 0.287 / 0.021
4 19 Xavier SIMEON BEL Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 Suter  2’10.666 0.531 / 0.244
5 60 Julian SIMON SPA Italtrans Racing Team  Kalex  2’10.702 0.567 / 0.036
6 40 Maverick VIÑALES SPA Pons HP 40  Kalex  2’10.708 0.573 / 0.006
7 94 Jonas FOLGER GER AGR Team   Kalex  2’10.748 0.613 / 0.040
8 3 Simone CORSI ITA NGM Forward Racing  Forward KLX 2’10.789 0.654 / 0.041
9 30 Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia Kalex 2’10.851 0.716 / 0.062
10 23 Marcel SCHROTTER GER Tech 3   Tech 3  2’10.857 0.722 / 0.006
11 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Marc VDS Racing Team  Kalex  2’10.945 0.810 / 0.088
12 81 Jordi TORRES SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2  Suter  2’10.994 0.859 / 0.049
13 12 Thomas LUTHI SWI Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Suter  2’11.032 0.897 / 0.038
14 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM Tasca Racing Moto2  Suter  2’11.127 0.992 / 0.095
15 11 Sandro CORTESE GER Dynavolt Intact GP  Kalex  2’11.430 1.295 / 0.303
17 22 Sam LOWES GBR Speed Up   Speed Up 2’11.614 1.479 / 0.118
34 8 Gino REA GBR AGT REA Racing   Suter  2’14.749 4.614 / 0.954