Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) fronts the Moto3™ field heading into qualifying at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas as a damp start to Saturday’s proceedings sees no riders improve on their Friday times. Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) lockout the top three, with Sasaki’s 2:16.306 putting him 0.176s clear of anyone.
The #Moto3 class just run out of time to improve on yesterday's lap times! ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) April 15, 2023
Moreira ends up fastest in Practice 3 roughly two seconds off Friday's fastest time ????#AmericasGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/RQ7HhYr8qd
Overnight rain meant the Moto3™ riders were greeted with tricky conditions, which ultimately meant the riders sitting outside the top 14 couldn’t get themselves into the automatic Q2 places. Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) topped the P3 session with a 2:18.233 as he and World Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) didn’t have to worry about going faster than their Friday times – the Brazilian and Spaniard are P4 and P5 on the combined times.
Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Argentina GP winner Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing), David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) and Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) complete the Practice top 10. Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team), Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) are the other riders safely into the pole position battle.
Tune into Moto3™ qualifying at 12:50 local time (GMT -5)!
Top 10 combined:
1. Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) – 2:16.908
2. Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) + 0.176
3. Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) + 0.456
4. Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets - MSI) + 0.602
5. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) + 0.766
6. Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.782
7. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 1.145
8. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) + 1.174
9. David Munoz (BOE Motorsports) + 1.201
10. Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 1.263