MotoGP Americas: Front row Rossi predicts 'tough' podium fight.

Valentino Rossi secured his best grid position of the season, in the form of a front row start alongside Marc Marquez and Maverick Vinales for Sunday's Austin MotoGP. The Italian began the previous 2017 races from just the third and fourth rows, yet still went on to claim podium finishes, giving him hope of bridging the pace gap to the top two riders on Sunday. 

"It is the first real qualifying of the session because Qatar and Argentina was wet. I felt good with the bike and knew if I got a clear lap I could make a good position," Rossi said. 

"I hope I can fight with Marquez and Vinales! I will try for sure because usually in the race, in Qatar and Argentina, I was faster than in practice. At this moment, the advantage they have in the hot lap is quite a lot and also in race pace. 

"It's always difficult because from the start to the first corner maybe six things happen that you don't expect!" he said. "It's very important for this reason to start from the front row and try to make a good start, because if you are out of the confusion it is better. But sincerely when you arrive at turn one, you decide [your tactics] at that moment." 

On Friday, Rossi spoke of having finally found a base setting that suits the 2017 Michelin front tyre construction and his riding style. 

"Yesterday was good in normal conditions. Today I suffer more [in the cold], but in qualifying I have a good feeling. Now we still have to work, to try to fix the last details and be a bit faster for the race." 

Rossi starts Sunday's event 14-points behind team-mate Maverick Vinales, winner of the opening round. Victory for either would be Yamaha's 500th win in grand prix racing. 

Source: http://crash.net

Q2:
1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 2m 2.741s [Lap 7/7] 333km/h (Top Speed) 
2. Maverick Viñales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 2m 2.871s +0.130s [7/7] 336km/h 
3. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 2m 3.673s +0.932s [7/7] 336km/h 
4. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 2m 3.866s +1.125s [7/7] 344km/h 
5. Johann Zarco FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 2m 3.928s +1.187s [6/6] 335km/h 
6. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 2m 4.151s +1.410s [5/6] 342km/h 
7. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 2m 4.431s +1.690s [3/7] 340km/h 
8. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 2m 4.623s +1.882s [3/7] 335km/h 
9. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 2m 4.661s +1.920s [3/5] 333km/h 
10. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 2m 4.673s +1.932s [6/7] 339km/h 
11. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 2m 5.741s +3.000s [5/6] 334km/h 
12. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 2m 5.970s +3.229s [4/5] 337km/h 

Q1:
13. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 2m 05.221s 341km/h
14. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 2m 05.231s 332km/h
15. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 2m 05.541s 339km/h
16. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 2m 05.920s 335km/h
17. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 2m 05.931s 339km/h
18. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 2m 06.258s 328km/h
19. Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) 2m 06.295s 338km/h
20. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* 2m 07.232s 325km/h
21. Pol Espargaro ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 2m 07.601s 329km/h
22. Aleix Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) No Time 

FP4:

1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 2m 04.201s [Lap 11/12] 333km/h (Top Speed) 
2. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 2m 04.658s +0.457s [11/12] 341km/h 

3. Maverick Viñales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 2m 04.760s +0.559s [6/12] 337km/h 
4. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 2m 05.213s +1.012s [10/13] 334km/h 
5. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 2m 05.368s +1.167s [6/12] 337km/h 
6. Johann Zarco FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 2m 05.388s +1.187s [12/12] 337km/h 
7. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 2m 05.438s +1.237s [5/7] 340km/h 
8. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 2m 05.698s +1.497s [10/10] 334km/h 
9. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 2m 05.732s +1.531s [5/12] 340km/h 
10. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 2m 05.783s +1.582s [6/12] 335km/h 
11. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 2m 05.910s +1.709s [4/11] 336km/h 
12. Aleix Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 2m 05.952s +1.751s [6/9] 331km/h 
13. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 2m 06.032s +1.831s [9/12] 340km/h 
14. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 2m 06.238s +2.037s [6/12] 333km/h 
15. Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) 2m 06.484s +2.283s [5/12] 341km/h 
16. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 2m 06.518s +2.317s [10/12] 329km/h 
17. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 2m 06.521s +2.320s [10/11] 340km/h 
18. Pol Espargaro ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 2m 06.541s +2.340s [8/10] 332km/h 
19. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 2m 07.238s +3.037s [4/11] 342km/h 
20. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 2m 07.565s +3.364s [5/6] 337km/h 
21. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* 2m 07.827s +3.626s [4/8] 323km/h 
22. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 2m 08.797s +4.596s [3/11] 327km/h 

FP3:

1. ^2 Maverick Viñales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 2m 03.979s [Lap 13/14] 335km/h (Top Speed) 
2. ^3 Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 2m 04.296s +0.317s [15/16] 336km/h 
3. ^4 Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 2m 04.677s +0.698s [12/15] 333km/h 
4. ˅3 Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 2m 04.687s +0.708s [4/9] 332km/h 
5. ^4 Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 2m 04.956s +0.977s [15/15] 338km/h 
6. ^7 Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 2m 05.272s +1.293s [16/17] 336km/h 
7. ˅5 Johann Zarco FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 2m 05.653s +1.674s [4/13] 337km/h 
8. ^11 Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 2m 05.752s +1.773s [12/14] 333km/h 
9. ^8 Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 2m 05.768s +1.789s [13/14] 330km/h 
10. ^2 Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 2m 05.872s +1.893s [4/16] 340km/h 
11. ˅5 Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 2m 05.910s +1.931s [4/11] 342km/h 
12. ˅1 Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 2m 05.930s +1.951s [12/13] 340km/h 
13. ˅5 Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 2m 06.127s +2.148s [12/12] 330km/h 
14. ^1 Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 2m 06.188s +2.209s [6/12] 341km/h 
15. ˅11 Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 2m 06.915s +2.936s [5/14] 331km/h 
16. ˅2 Aleix Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 2m 07.538s +3.559s [3/4] 329km/h 
17. ^6 Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 2m 08.257s +4.278s [11/14] 327km/h 
18. ˅2 Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) 2m 08.350s +4.371s [11/11] 341km/h 
19. ^1 Pol Espargaro ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 2m 09.044s +5.065s [7/11] 331km/h 
20. ^1 Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 2m 09.135s +5.156s [3/7] 335km/h 
21. ^1 Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* 2m 10.418s +6.439s [2/4] 320km/h 
22. ˅12 Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 2m 12.196s +8.217s [6/6] 326km/h 
˅5 Alex Rins ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* No Time 

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