Moto3: Toba Maintains Top Spot in FP3
By Short Shift News
Kaito Toba will lead the charge into qualifying as the Japanese rider finishes the opening free practices on top of the timesheets.
The final practice session for the Moto3 proved of little use for the junior class, with track conditions nearing a full second slower than last nights free practice two. This meant only Tatsuki Suzuki improved his time from last night, meaning Toba will lead the charge into this evenings qualifying sessions.
The Japanese rider led Jaume Masia and Gabriel Rodrigo, Sergio Garcia and Jason Dupasquier who all sit within a tenth of a second of each other in what is an uber-close Moto3 field. Niccolo Antonelli, who slipped off his Avintia machine at turn seven early in the third practice session, secured his place in qualifying two last night, finishing sixth ahead of Jeremy Alcoba.
Britons John McPhee put his PETRONAS Sprinta bike inside the top ten, finishing eighth just +0.219s adrift of Toba’s chart-topping time. McPhee led Andrea Migno and Max Kofler. Carlos Tatay finished 11th ahead of Dennis Foggia, Ayumu Sasaki and Red Bull KTM AJO’s Pedro Acosta.
Darryn Binder missed out on a place inside the top 14, meaning once again the South African will face the first 15-minute qualifying session. Ryusei Yamanaka lies 16th ahead of Romano Fenati. Yuki Kunii leads Xavier Artigas and Izan Guevera with Tatsuki Suzuki jumping up a few positions to 21st.
Adrian Fernandez finished the session in 23rd on the combined timesheets with Deniz Öncü, Stefano Nepa, Filip Salac, Andi Farid Izdihar and Lorenzo Fellon rounding out the field.
The top 14 will go directly into Q2, while the riders from 15th downwards will take part in the opening Q1 session in a bid to get into Q2. Qualifying starts for the junior class at 17:30 local time.
Featured image: MotoGP.com