Masia the man to beat on Day 1 in Valencia

A quartet of Spaniards lead the way in the lightweight class on Friday

Jaume Masia (Mugen Race) ended Day 1 in the Moto3™ class as the quickest rider on track at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, a 1:39.612 sees the KTM man head compatriot Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) by 0.069, with Marcos Ramirez (Leopard Racing) rounding out the top three.

The sun shone on Friday at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo and in the afternoon conditions, every rider was able to improve their time from FP1. Leopard Impala Junior Team’s Xavi Artigas was on it from the off in FP2 and the young Spaniard was setting the pace with 20 minutes remaining, but it was then Masia who took the baton after Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) had shot himself to P1, the man second in the Championship having no such issues with his KTM as he did in FP1.

As the clock ticked down, so did the times as everyone who hadn’t yet improved from FP1 started to do so. Masia was the rider who ventured into the 1:39s for the first time, with 2019 World Champion Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) going P2. Masia, who finished outside the top 10 in FP1, had a three-tenths advantage in the final 10 minutes but Garcia soon pegged that back, with Ramirez and the latter exchanging P2. At the chequered flag, Masia held on to claim Friday honours from Garcia and FP1 pacesetter Ramirez, the impressive Artigas climbs from P26 to P4 in the afternoon to sit faster than teammate Dalla Porta.

VNE Snipers’ Romano Fenati spearheads a trio of Italians in 6th, 7th and 8th, they consist of Andrea Migno (Mugen Race) and Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse), the latter improving from P24 in FP1. Thanks to a late lap and despite a crash at Turn 6 - his second of the day - John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) was P9 in FP2, with Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers) rounding out the top 10.

Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46) crashed twice in the closing stages, rider ok, while Albert Arenas (Gaviota Angel Nieto Team), Makar Yurchenko (BOE Skull Rider Mugen Race) and Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) crashing in FP2.

FP3 at 09:00 local time (GMT+1) – if dry – will give the Moto3™ riders a chance to improve their times from today, with the automatic Q2 places up for grabs ahead of qualifying.

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