Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales and Marc VDS’ Franco Morbidelli have been slapped with grid penalties for riding irresponsibly during qualifying for the Aragon Grand Prix.
Vinales and Morbidelli were setting themselves up for a hot lap during Q1 when they were caught by KTM’s Bradley Smith through Turn 16, as the Briton pushed on a timed effort.
Smith completed his lap but failed to make it through to Q2 – though missed out by only two-tenths of a second, having been setting fast sector times before encountering the slow riders.
Vinales made it through to Q2 but on a lacklustre weekend for Yamaha was just 11th, faster only than LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami.
Vinales qualified in 11th place but was handed a three-place grid penalty; he will, however, drop only two spots as original 13th-placed starter Morbidelli has been slapped with a six-spot demotion.
Jorge Lorenzo will start from pole position after leading a Ducati 1-2 in qualifying, with points leader Marc Marquez third.
