MotoGP: Suzuki on Pole Again in Jerez

In Jerez, qualifying for the Moto3 Andalusian Grand Prix took place in scorching conditions, similar to those of the Spanish Grand Prix at the same venue one week ago. 

In Q1, Niccolo Antonelli led the session for the majority, and felt safe enough after his first run to remain in the garage in the final part of the session, and not make a second run. This turned out to be a mistake, as he was bundled back to sixth, with Ayumu Sasaki replacing the Italian at the top of the time sheets. The Japanese rider missed out on Q2 by only 0.006 seconds in FP3, so it was perhaps unsurprising in the end to see him so competitive in the first qualifying session. Joining Sasaki in moving through to Q2 were Carlos Tatay, Filip Salac who suffered a fairly heavy crash in FP3 but was declared fit for qualifying, and finally Ryusei Yamanaka, who made his first Q2 appearance of the season.

For Q2, there was a sense of deja vu, as Tatsuki Suzuki went three-for-three, and two-for-two in Jerez, on pole positions for the season. The Japanese rider was unable to convert pole to a podium last week, but he will have another opportunity tomorrow. 

Ai Ogura made it a Japanese 1-2 with his fastest Q2 lap. After qualifying down in 15th last week it will be a relief for the #79 to have given himself an easier job in the Andalusian Grand Prix. The front row will be rounded out tomorrow by Gabriel Rodrigo, who was third-fastest in Q2, and took his first front row of the season.

Raul Fernandez has been fast again all weekend, but missed out on the front row, qualifying fourth in the end. It was mistakes that cost Fernandez in the race last weekend, and whilst fourth on the grid is by no means a disaster for the Spaniard, it is those mistakes that will need to be erased tomorrow for him to fight for the podium.

Tony Arbolino finds himself in a Spanish sandwich on row two, with Fernandez ahead of him and championship leader Albert Arenas behind him. Certainly, row two is an exciting prospect for tomorrow. 

Jeremy Alcoba enjoyed his best world championship qualifying with seventh, ahead of John McPhee and Celestino Vietti, who will complete row three and will start tomorrow’s race almost as they ended last week’s: side-by-side. 

The top ten was rounded out by Jaume Masia, who will start from the front of row four tomorrow, with Carlos Tatay and Kaito Toba joining the #5 on that fourth row; whilst row five will see Sergio Garcia line up in 13th alongside Deniz Oncu and Filip Salac; and Ayumu Sasaki will head-up row six in front of Ryusei Yamanaka and Andrea Migno, who fell on his final lap and finished 18th and last in Q2 after topping FP3 in the morning. 

Yuki Kunii was the fastest rider to miss out on Q2, qualifying 19th, ahead of the aforementioned Antonelli and Romano Fenati who is still struggling to get to grips with the Husqvarna. 

Meanwhile, Stefano Nepa qualified down in 22nd, ahead of Denis Foggia and Maximilian Kofler on row eight; and Darryn Binder took 11th in Q1 for 25th overall on tomorrow’s grid, heading up row nine from Khairul Idham Pawi and Riccardo Rossi. The final row of the grid for tomorrow’s Moto3 race will see Jason Dupasquier line up in 28th ahead of Barry Baltus and Davide Pizzoli.

Alonso Lopez was withdrawn from the weekend on Saturday morning due to a long-term, pre-existing health condition that presented itself with an irregular blood test.