Kasma Daniel (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) set the fastest time during the Moto2™ Free Practice 1 session in Le Mans, as he navigated through wet and slippery conditions that saw another morning crashfest at the SHARK Helmets French Grand Prix.
The Malaysian topped the timesheets with a 1:51.279, knocking Hector Garzo into second only moments after the Flexbox HP 40 rider put himself at the summit. Nearly three-tenths of a second separate the Top 2 but there are only three thousandths between second and third, as Lorenzo Baldassarri joins his teammate at the top.
Kasma Daniel tops #Moto2 FP1! ????????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) October 9, 2020
The Malaysian puts in a flyer on his final lap! ????#FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/P5vqoFx811
The theme of the session was set early as Championship leader Luca Marini (SKY Team Racing VR46) was the first to hit the asphalt as the slippery conditions got the better of him on the first corner after leaving pitlane on his outlap. He was swiftly followed by Andi Izdihar (Indemitsu Honda Team Asia) who highsided coming into the final corner of his opening lap. Marcel Schrotter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) was the next to go as he slid into the gravel early, before Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) joined him off the asphalt at Turn 14. Izdihar’s teammate Somkiat Chantra’s session ended prematurely after his bike had no grip turning as he too tumbled into the gravel.
Turn 14 claimed further victims as it sent Fabio Di Giannantonio (Termozeta Speed Up) somersaulting off the track, with the Italian heading to a local hospital for further checks as a result, as well as Piotr Biesiekirski (NTS RW Racing GP) and Izdihar for a second time, but Aron Canet (Openbank Aspar Team) managed to escape its clutches with an excellent save on the right-hander.
Hafizh Syahrin (Openbank Aspar Team) tucked the front at Turn 3 after being the early pacesetter while Daniels managed to recover from a fall there to set the session’s fastest time. Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) hit the deck at turn 9 while Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) also suffered a late fall, but that didn’t stop him from getting into the Top 5 times of the morning. Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) once again showed his prowess in the rain as he managed an incident-free morning to round out the Top 5.
Lots of riders will be hoping for an improvement in the afternoon session as they seek to secure their places in Q2 on Saturday, so make sure you join us from 15.10 local time for Moto2™ FP2.
Horrible highside for @FabioDiggia21! ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) October 9, 2020
Another one ends up in the gravel at Turn 14! ????#Moto2 | #FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/HrIJLX65ku
Top 10:
1. Kasma Daniel (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) - 1:51.279
2. Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) + 0.253
3. Lorenzo Baldassari (Flexbox HP 40) + 0.256
4. Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) + 0.550
5. Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.572
6. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.633
7. Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.927
8. Thomas Luthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 0.959
9. Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) + 0.980
10. Hafizh Syahrin (Inde Aspar Team Moto2) + 1.094
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