It was a slow start to the Moto2™ Practice 1 session as rain started falling just before the bikes went on track. Xavier Artigas (KLINT Forward Factory Team), Aron Canet (Fantic Racing), and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika GAS UP Team) were some of the riders who ventured the conditions on the Pirelli tyres.
As a quiet session - which saw just four riders set a time - ended, it was Jaume Masia (Pertamina Mandalika GAS UP Team) who ended the season quickest, with lap times consistently getting faster. Bendsneyder finished in second to make it a Pertamina Mandalika GAS UP Team one-two in the wet, as Artigas claimed P3. Rounding out the riders who set times in Practice 1 was Alex Escrig (KLINT Forward Factory Team).
That's a wrap for #Moto2 on Friday in usual fashion! 🏁@jaume_masia improves again to top a wet and floodlit P1! ✊#QatarGP 🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/bxUixOrfu7
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 8, 2024
In the dry Free Practice session, Fermin Aldeguer (Sync SpeedUp) narrowly beat Zonta van den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) by 0.034s to top the opening session of the year, as Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in P3 heading into Saturday's crucial Practice 2.
Moto2™ will be back on track for that thrilling P2 at 13:15 local time (UTC +3) which will decide the 14 riders who will progress to Q2 - with qualifying beginning at 17:45 local time (UTC +3).
Top 4:
|
1 |
Jaume Masia (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) |
2:14.891 |
|
2 |
Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) |
+1.007 |
|
3 |
Xavier Artigas (KLINT Forward Factory Team) |
+1.991 |
|
4 |
Alex Escrig (KLINT Forward Factory Team) |
+4.213 |