Suzuki quickest on Friday morning in Thailand

Leopard Racing’s Tatsuki Suzuki has laid down an early marker in Round 17 of the Moto3™ World Championship at the OR Thailand Grand Prix. While the rain had stopped by the time the lightweight class field headed out onto the Chang International Circuit for FP1, it was a wet track for the duration and Suzuki fared best. For much of the session he was more than half a second clear at the top of the timing screen, and a 1:51.520 with the chequered flag out lifted his margin back up to 0.278 seconds. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia had closed to within 0.030 seconds of the Japanese rider with a late 1:51.798 which would see him classified second, ahead of the Rivacold Snipers Team’s Andrea Migno on a 1:52.068.

Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets - MSI) rounded out the top five, with the Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team’s Sergio Garcia seventh on a 1:52.268. The latter is second in the World Championship at 45 points behind teammate and Japanese GP winner Izan Guevara, who is currently 15th on the timesheet on a 1:52.906. That could prove significant in terms of qualifying because no one is really sure what the weather has in store for us this weekend, and it is 14 riders who go directly into Q2. The same applied to Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia, who was 20th-quickest on a 1:53.123. Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) had a late highside at Turn 4, but is in the top 14 for now, in 11th position on a 1:52.775.

The other big story of Friday morning in Buriram was Deniz Öncü. The Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider gritted his teeth through the Japanese GP race after a Warm Up highside at Motegi, but remains in obvious pain due to the finger injury which he picked up in that incident. His team spent considerable time loosening up his right glove, but Öncü is so far only 29th.

What happens next? Find out later this Friday when FP2 unfolds at 13:15 (GMT +7)!

Moto3™ FP1 Top 10:

1. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) – 1:51.520
2. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.278
3. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.548
4. Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.549
5. Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets - MSI) + 0.693
6. Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) + 0.737
7. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.748
8. Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) + 0.983
9. Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PruestelGP) + 1.023
10. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 1.108

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