Arbolino three tenths clear in Moto3™ FP1 as rain stays away

The heavens haven't opened in Spielberg just yet meaning this could be a crucial 40 minutes of dry track time for the lightweight class

Rivacold Snipers Team's Tony Arbolino set the first marker of the weekend at the myWorld Austrian Grand Prix by topping Moto3™ FP1 as the rain stayed clear of the Red Bull Ring. It could prove to be a vital 40 minutes of dry track time for the lightweight class with inclement weather forecast for parts of the weekend, and it was the Italian that made the most of it by ending up fastest thanks to a key slipstream from Kömmerling Gresini Moto3's Gabriel Rodrigo.

Arbolino was ahead of John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) with everyone looking to get a banker lap in just in case rain starts to fall for FP2. Some of the main contenders had laps interrupted after Red Bull KTM Ajo's Raul Fernandez tucked the front at Turn 3 in the closing stages, causing some of the grid to have their final laps of the session cancelled. In the end, Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46) and Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completed a top five split by half a second.

Despite his late crash, Fernandez ended up sixth on the timesheets ahead of teammate Katio Toba and SKY Racing Team VR46's Andrea Migno. Moto3™ World Championship leader Albert Arenas (Valresa Aspar Team) sits ninth on the timesheets following the opening session of the weekend, with the final place inside the top ten going the way of SIC58 Squadra Corse's Tatsuki Suzuki.

Top 10:
1. Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) – 1:36.550
2. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.291
3. Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) + 0.366
4. Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.489
5. Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.507
6. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.516
7. Kaito Toba (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.517
8. Andrea Migno (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.557
9. Alberto Arenas (Valresa Aspar Team) + 0.579
10. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.710

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