Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) will launch from his third pole position of the season after setting a 1:41.638 in Moto3™ Q2 at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. Despite a crash, Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) rescued a second place starting slot as Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) claimed his first front row since 2020 in third.
Fast from the get-go! ⚡️@jaume_masia puts over two tenths between himself and @AyumuSasaki1 to claim pole! 👏#SanMarinoGP 🇸🇲 pic.twitter.com/UQy8xVAm3F
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 9, 2023
Pole fight goes to the wire
After cruising through Q1 following a disappointing weekend so far, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) joined his title rivals in the pole position scrap. And talking of title rivals, Sasaki suffered some early drama as the Japanese rider crashed – unhurt – on his out-lap at Turn 13.
Meanwhile, Masia set the early benchmark in Q2. The Spaniard’s 1:42.183 saw him sit 0.3s clear of the pack in the early exchanges, but it soon changed as Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) climbed to P1 by just over a tenth.
Having pitted and got some quick repairs sorted on his Husqvarna, Sasaki’s first hot lap placed him P8, 0.5s off provisional pole. His second lap was cancelled due to exceeding track limits at the final corner as the rest of the field rumbled out of pitlane for a final three-minute dash for pole.
Moments after Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) went P2, Toba launched himself to P1 as the last laps began. Toba’s time at the summit didn’t last long though as Sasaki snatched provisional pole before Masia moved the goalposts even further. The #5’s time wouldn’t be topped as the Leopard star will start on pole ahead of Japan’s Sasaki and Toba.
Holgado holds onto top 10
Moreira slipped to P4 by the end of the session, he has Öncü and David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) for company on the second row, as David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) salvaged P7 despite a crash in Q1. Holgado claimed P8, the Spaniard will want to make early ground on Sunday, as Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) and Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) complete the top 10.
Tune into the Moto3™ race at 11:00 local time (GMT+2) on Sunday morning.
Top 10:
| 1 | Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) | 1:41.638 |
| 2 | Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) | + 0.243 |
| 3 | Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) | + 0.262 |
| 4 | Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets - MSI) | + 0.364 |
| 5 | Denis Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | + 0.418 |
| 6 | David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) | + 0.420 |
| 7 | David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) | + 0.462 |
| 8 | Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) | + 0.487 |
| 9 | Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) | + 0.530 |
| 10 | Collin Viejer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) | + 0.596 |
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