Moto3: Fernandez Takes First Grand Prix Pole

Qualifying for the 2020 Moto3 Czech Grand Prix was tainted before the session by some action taken by the stewards for irresponsible riding by some of the lightweight class riders in free practice. 

Those penalties included missing the first part of FP3 on Saturday morning, however the behaviour of the riders in qualifying suggests the threat of penalties does not faze the junior riders, who spent most of Q1 and Q2 looking for a tow, anyway. 

The first session saw some sketchy tactics from Jaume Masia, who left it until his last lap to set a representative time. It was just about enough for the Spaniard, who advanced through to Q2 as the third-fastest rider in Q1. The session was topped by Tony Arbolino, and Darryn Binder and Andrea Migno also moved through to Q2 in second and fourth, respectively. 

As we often see in Brno, the end of qualifying was characterised by people missing the flag for their final lap of the session. At the end of the session, with four minutes to go, many riders came into the pit lane for a new tyre to finish the session. When they went out, they had enough time to make it around to start a final flying lap, but they were all too slow. 

This worked out perfectly for Raul Fernandez, whose first lap was good enough for him to take his first pole position in the World Championship. Gabriel Rodrigo and the pole sitter for the first three races of the 2020 season, Tatsuki Suzuki, will join Fernandez on the front row tomorrow; Rodrigo, like Fernandez, in pursuit of his first Grand Prix victory.

Ai Ogura had a decent qualifying with fourth place as he looks to rebound from his DNF in Andalusia. The Japanese rider will be joined by Dennis Foggia, who has had something of a resurgence this weekend, and Jeremy Alcoba, who is continuing his impressive rookie season form, on the second row for tomorrow’s race. 

Row three will see championship leader Albert Arenas – who was one of the big names to miss out at the end of the session by mis-timing the flag – start ahead of the Italian duo of Tony Arbolino and Romano Fenati; whilst Yuki Kunii took a best career qualifying of 10th place to head up row four ahead of another Italian duo of Andrea Migno and Niccolo Antonelli. 

Jaume Masia was one of the few riders to not miss the flag, but his final lap was nothing special and the Spaniard did not even complete it. The #5 ended up in 13th, and joining him on row five will be Stefano Nepa and Darryn Binder; whilst Kaito Toba (16th) and Ryusei Yamanaka (17th) will be the Japanese pairing to accompany John McPhee on the sixth row of the grid after the Briton crashed on his first flying lap and was unable to set a time.

Deniz Oncu was the fastest rider to miss out on Q2, and will start tomorrow’s Czech GP from 19th, ahead of the sole Czech rider in the paddock this weekend, Filip Salac, and Barry Baltus. 

A late lap from Carlos Tatay looked as if it could send him through to Q2 for a while, but it was only good enough for eighth-fastest in Q1 and a 22nd-place grid slot for Sunday. The Spaniard will be joined on row eight by Riccardo Rossi and Andalusian podium finisher, Celestino Vietti who will be disappointed with 24th for tomorrow’s start. 

Alonso Lopez could only manage 25th on the Husqvarna, and will be joined by Maximilian Kofler and Sergio Garcia – another disappointment – on the ninth row; whilst Ayumu Sasaki and Jason Dupasquier were the slowest-two riders in the first session and will start 28th and 29th, respectively tomorrow. Likely starting last will be Davide Pizzoli, who crashed on his first flying lap of Q1 and did not set a time. Khairul Idham Pawi suffered the same fate only seconds before Pizzoli, but unlike the Italian, Pawi required medical assistance in the gravel trap and could be doubtful to race tomorrow.