Suzuki crashes but earns overall P1 on Friday

The Japanese rider was uninjured in an FP2 highside as light rain effects Moto3™ FP2 at the Motul TT Assen

Despite a huge crash in FP2 at the Motul TT Assen, Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) tops the overall standings in the Moto3™ class with a 1:41.568. The Japanese rider and second fastest Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) improve in the afternoon session to demote FP1 pacesetter Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) to P3.

An important day at the office

With rain forecast on Saturday, Friday’s FP1 and FP2 sessions were crucial for the lightweight class riders, as everyone aimed to grab a top 14 place and – potentially – automatic Q2 promotion. Foggia was fastest in FP1 but Suzuki struck early in FP2 to go 0.180s clear at the top, before the SIC58 star suffered a massive highside on the exit of Turn 7. Thankfully, Suzuki walked away relatively unscathed.

There were sprinkles of rain heading into the final 20 minutes of the day as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was another rider to crash, a front-end tuck at Turn 1 for the World Championship leader. As the rain then started to fall a little heavier in the last 10 minutes, it seemed Friday’s timesheets were set. Binder also made his way into the top two early doors to go less than a tenth away from Suzuki, forcing Foggia to P3. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) close out the top five thanks to their FP1 times.

A crash in the morning didn’t hinder Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3), the Argentine ends the day P6, just ahead of Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) and Acosta. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was back on track after his huge FP1 crash, the Spaniard managed to grab P9 after improving his time in FP2, John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) is 10th.

Make sure you’re primed to watch Moto3™ FP3 on Saturday morning, at 09:00 local time (GMT+2), to see whether anything changes in terms of the timesheets ahead of qualifying.

Top 10 combined:
1. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) – 1:41.568
2. Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.089
3. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 0.180
4. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.518
5. Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) + 0.645
6. Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) + 0.654
7. Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) + 0.780
8. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.789
9. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.853
10. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.872

FULL RESULTS! 

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