Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) opened the Valencia GP on top after a top three in the morning and the quickest lap of the day in FP2. The Spaniard, gunning for his first win, was just ahead of compatriot Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) in second – with Marcos Ramirez (Platinum Bay Real Estate) and Juanfran Guevara (RBA BOE Racing Team) making it a clean sweep for the home heroes in the top four.
Weather was sunny and clear although cold earlier in the day, and the field had a full day of running uninterrupted by the weather. Headlines were stolen in FP1 by reigning Champion Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) as he took a tumble, but the Majorcan was quick to his feet and improved from outside the top twenty following the incident to go fifth fastest overall. Another high profile incident interrupted FP2 as Niccolo Antonelli (Red Bull KTM Ajo) suffered a crash and left compatriot Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46) with nowhere to go, with fastest rookie Ayumu Sasaki (SIC Racing Team) just beating Bulega to sixth overall.
Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers) took eighth as he gears up to try and make history and equal Mir’s win count, with Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Racing Team) taking ninth despite a crash on Day 1, and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) completing the top ten.
Philipp Oettl (Südmetall Schedl GP Racing) was P11, ahead of Enea Bastianini (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and a stunning debut for Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup winner and wildcard Kazuki Masaki (Asia Talent Team) in P13. Dennis Foggia (Sky Junior Team VR46 Academy) – double FIM CEV Repsol Moto3™ Junior World Champion and wildcard this weekend – was fourteenth, with Adam Norrodin (SIC Racing Team) locking out the fastest fifteen on Friday.
Tomorrow is qualifying ahead of the final race of the season, with Mir looking to equal Valentino Rossi and Fenati looking to equal Mir.