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MOTOGP FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 6 / MAY 22, 2016 AUTODROMO DEL MUGELLO / TUSCANY, ITALY P92 Two engine blow-ups within hours of one another had Yamaha riders worried that they might run short by the end of the year, suffering a back- of-the-grid start if they use more than the seven allowed, and engineers scratching their heads. There was no official explanation, although team director Massimo Meregalli sug- gested, "…it looks as though it was the same failure for both." Appear- ances suggested a top-end failure in both cases. With engines sealed and modifications only allowed "for safety reasons," and then only if the MSMA manufacturers' association agrees, any inherent weakness in the M1 would be a serious worry. Speed records tumbled on Mug- ello's long straight, with Ducatis sig- nificantly the fastest bikes, claiming the six fastest recorded speeds. Top of the list was Iannone's factory bike at 354.9 km/h (220.5 mph), smash- ing the 351.2 (218.2 mph) record the same rider set at the opening round in Qatar. Dovizioso was just over one km/h slower, then Pirro, Laverty, Petrucci and Redding. Surprisingly Vinales' Suzuki was next best, at 347.7 (216.0 mph). The best Honda, Pedrosa's, was only 10th fastest, at 346.9 km/h (215.5 mph), marginally slower than Pol Espargaro, on the top Yamaha. Lorenzo's best was only 341.6 (213.3 mph). The Aprilias had a new engine, and Stefan Bradl was the faster, clocking a best of 338.7 (210.5 mph) in the race. Does providence have a wicked sense of humor? Seems so, after handing pole position to Valentino Rossi. This put him in line for a Tis- sot watch, awarded at the press con- ference to every pole qualifier every race Saturday. It was handed to him by Italian actress and TV presenter Eleonora Pedron, and he made sure to give the blonde beauty an extra cuddle while posing for photographs. Pedron is the ex-wife of Max Biaggi. Another sense of humor belongs to Italian Pramac Ducati rider Danilo Petrucci, back for a second race after a lengthy recovery from right- hand injuries sustained in pre-season tests at Phillip Island. He had missed everybody in racing, he said, "even the journalists. It's like…what is your favorite nightmare." With social media death threats following booing at earlier races, Dorna laid on bodyguards for Rossi's hated rivals Lorenzo and Marquez. The latter was somewhat bemused, saying, "Since I arrived I feel really good: the fans are asking for pic- tures and signatures. I already said to Dorna that I don't need bodyguards; I don't want bodyguards. I want to feel normal. I think we are in a sport where it will not happen." But Loren- zo was more cautious. "There are a lot of fans here and you never know how they will react. If I don't need [bodyguards], okay. But if needed they are ready to do their work." Tito Rabat missed the race af- ter crashing on his out lap in FP3. The former Moto2 Champion, Mo- toGP's only rookie, went rolling and tumbling, and he broke his left col- larbone. While the rest of the grid qualified, he was already under the surgeon's knife, hoping to be able to race at home in Barcelona in two weeks. Rossi's traditional special helmet for Mugello was simpler than usual, in a strikingly bold yellow, mirroring the hue on the hillsides where his fans gathered, also in his trademark color. The legend on the chin-piece was a pun: the word MUGIALLO in bold capitals. "Giallo" is Italian for "yellow." Rossi's first pole position since As- sen last year came after a to-and- fro play with next year's teammate Vinales, and came under fire from Jorge Lorenzo, who said it was like schoolmates copying one another's work. "It was a great day, something special," said Rossi, who was happy to admit that "…using Maverick's slip- stream helped me." At the same time it had denied Vinales his first pole position, leaving the Suzuki rider second by less than a 10th. MotoGP 1. Jorge Lorenzo (am) 2. Marc Marquez (Hon) 3. Andrea Iannone (Duc) 4. Dani Pedrosa (Hon) 5. Andrea Dovizioso (Duc) Moto2 1. Johann Zarco (Kal) 2. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Kal) 3. Sam Lowes (Kal) 4. Thomas Luthi (Kal) 5. Hafizh Syahrin (Kal) Moto3 1. Brad Binder (KTM) 2. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Hon) 3. Francesco Bagnaia (Mah) 4. Niccolo Antonelli (Hon) 5. Fabio Quartararo (KTM) Briefly...