No one could get close to Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) on Day 1 at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia as the Moto2 championship leader set a new all-time lap record to top Friday’s timesheets. Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team) was the only rider to get within two tenths of Gonzalez’s 1:32.996, the Japanese GP winner was P2, as Daniel Muñoz (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completed the top three on a Friday which saw Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) suffer a late crash that cost him dearly – Q1 beckons, again, for the #44.
Boscoscuro pair, Tony Arbolino (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) and Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), rounded out the top five in Moto2 Practice, with second in the championship Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) leaving it late to jump into the top 14. The Brazilian ended Friday in P9 originally but due to a best lap being cancelled for Ayumu Sasaki (RW Idrofoglia Racing GP), he moves up to eighth; Sasaki remains in Q2 directly, ending P10 after the cancellation. Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing) was also a late improver as the Belgian – who sits P4 overall – made it into Q2.
It was P20 in the end for Canet after his latter stages Turn 16 highside, so there’s work to do on Saturday if the Spaniard wants to keep his Championship hopes alive.