Moto3: Raul Fernandez dominates Aragon Friday
By Short Shift News
Red Bull KTM AJO’s Raul Fernandez ended the opening day of action in Aragon on top, four tenths faster than Romano Fenati and half a second clear of Albert Arenas.
Fernandez, who dominated Friday afternoon’s proceedings, set a 1:58.144s to go top of the pile as he aims for his first Moto3 podium on home soil.
The Moto3 action got underway on Friday morning at a cold Aragon circuit, with times being two seconds slower than the afternoons session. It was Darryn Binder who topped the morning 40-minute session, and the Catalan race-winner backed up his opening practice performance in the second session.
Binder ended the day in fourth behind Fenati and Arenas with Tatsuki Suzuki in fifth. The CIP rider was +0.081s quicker than Sergio Garcia.
The Estrella Galicia rider was +0.700s down on Fernandez’ top time, with Jaume Masia, Ai Ogura, Celestino Vietti and Alonso Lopez rounding out the top ten.
Carlos Tatay missed out on a spot in the top ten, however the Reale Avintia Moto3 KTM rider put himself in the crucial top 14 positions with a time of a 1:59.131. The Spaniard led Japanese rider Kaito Toba, Gabriel Rodrigo and Niccolo Antonelli.
John McPhee was the first rider to miss out on the Q2 spots. The Scottish rider was caught up in a final five-minute scrap for a lap time, leaving the PETRONAS Sprinta rider in 15th, +1.173s off the pace.
Jeremy Alcoba, Andrea Migno and Dennis Foggia were just some of the names who are unexpectedly faced with a qualifying one entrance, however, have their final chance on Saturday morning to creep back inside the top 14.
Following a delay to MotoGP action and cold conditions resulting in slow lap times, the final two days of Aragon Grand Prix action will commence an hour later, with FP3 getting underway on Saturday at 10:00.
Qualifying will get going at 13:15, with lights going out on Sunday at mid-day.
Featured images: MotoGP.com