Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/294639
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 APRIL 2014 53 MOTOGP FORMULA 1 Sport Marquez on pole for second race of the year MOTOGP qualifying at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas saw Marc Marquez clinch pole with a new record lap of COTA (2'02.886), with Dani Pedrosa and Stefan Bradl joining him on the front row. Marquez is quick wherever he rides but he appears to specifically enjoy the state-of-the-art Austin track where round two of the sea- son is taking place and he secured his 11th premier class pole posi- tion by 0.289s from Repsol Honda teammate Pedrosa – having domi- nated all weekend so far. A solid effort from LCR Honda's German rider Bradl put him at the back of row one as he got to within 0.423s of the rampant Marquez – making it an all Honda front three. It will be an all-Yamaha second row for Sunday's race, with Aleix Espargaro (NGM Forward Racing) placing his 'Open' Yamaha fourth, 0.467s off pole. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP pair Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi were fifth and sixth, Lorenzo registering a time just 0.003s off Espargaro's, with Rossi 0.001s behind his teammate. Heading the third row is Ducati's Cal Crutchlow (+1.007s), in front of compatriot Bradley Smith (Mon- ster Yamaha Tech3) and Italian Andrea Iannone (Pramac Racing). Smith and Iannone were both also just over a second behind Mar- quez. On row four, meanwhile are An- drea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Pol Espargaro (Monster Yama- ha Tech3) and Alvaro Baustista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini). The fastest 'Open' Honda rider Scott Redding will start just be- hind his GO&FUN Honda Gresini teammate Bautista at the head of row five, having missed Q2 by just 0.074s. FORMULA 1 teams will meet with the FIA next month to discuss ways in which costs can be reduced for the sport's competitors. FIA President Jean Todt an- nounced last weekend in Bahrain that plans to introduce a cost cap for teams from 2015 had been abandoned but the sport's govern- ing body remains eager to bring costs under control. At a meeting of the World Mo- tor Sport Council in Morocco, it was agreed that Formula 1's 11 teams would meet with Todt and Formula 1 supremo Bernie Eccle- stone in order to discuss financial regulation. There remains the hope that 'substantial' cost reductions will be agreed at the meeting next month, which would then be swift- ly ratified by Formula 1's Strategy Group. 'The FIA, the Commercial Rights Holder (CRH), and all the F1 Teams have recently confirmed their commitment to work on cost reduction', read an FIA statement. 'Accordingly, the FIA President Jean Todt and the CRH Bernie Ecclestone will organise a meet- ing with all the F1 Teams on 1 May 2014, followed by a F1 Strat- egy Group meeting, to clarify the means to achieve a substantial F1 Team cost reduction.' FIA and teams to meet over cost reductions Mosley: Formula 1 has missed an opportunity FORMER FIA President Max Mosley believes that Formula 1 has missed an opportunity by not properly promot- ing the new V6 power units to the public. The noise emitted by the power units has come under fire in 2014, with Bernie Ecclestone and Sebastian Vettel among several high profile fig- ures who have criticised the sound of the engines. Mosley was President of the FIA until 2009 and is willing to shoulder the blame for the noise deficit but in- sists that the new noise is 'better for families'. "If anybody should be 'blamed' it's me," he told the Daily Mail. "We were the ones who looked at bringing in the new technology. It was 10 years in the making, and I actually like the noise. "I wear these things in both my ears [hearing aids] because the noise of the engines went right through me for 40 years or more. It's too late to save my hearing but not for the next gen- eration. The quieter engines are better for families. You can take children to races without fear of their being deaf- ened." Mosley believes that while the sport had to evolve to remain relevant, it missed an opportunity to promote the changes. "It is important for For- mula One to evolve," he said. "Safety was the big challenge of the 20th Cen- tury and the environment is the big challenge of the 21st. If that that fact is not understood and embraced, the sport runs the risk of becoming irrel- evant. Corporate social responsibility is important for car manufacturers, so there is a need to move in this direc- tion so the sport does not lose spon- sors and manufacturers. They see how important this technology is in the development of road cars. "If there is one thing I feel could have been done better it is how the new regulations, and the reasons behind them, have been explained to the pub- lic. An opportunity has been missed."