VNE Snipers’ Tony Arbolino will lead the Moto3™ field into Saturday at the GoPro British Grand Prix thanks to his new fastest-ever lightweight lap around Silverstone of 2:12.008 from FP1 this morning. The Italian’s half a second advantage was halved this afternoon, though, thanks to Sama Qatar Angel Nieto’s Albert Arenas ending FP2 quickest with a 2:12.224.
After picking up Grand Prix victories at Mugello and Assen earlier this year, Arbolino looks like one of the favourites to make it three wins in 2019 after his pace on Friday. Arenas also looks like contending after ending the day second overall, 0.216 adrift of Arbolino but also under Jorge Navarro’s previous outright lap record.
After the late time attacks, @AlbertArenas75 tops FP2 at Silverstone! ????
— MotoGP™ ???????? (@MotoGP) August 23, 2019
The @AngelNietoTeam rider edges out @dallap48 and @DarrynBinder40! ????#BritishGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/WzTx70OOeH
Having ended FP2 second quickest, Championship leader Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) heads into Saturday inside the top three and only 0.244 behind compatriot Arbolino. Dalla Porta’s final flying lap saw him jump to third but fast final laps from Darryn Binder (CIP Green Power) and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) saw them move into the top five.
Sixth at the close of Day 1 at Silverstone went the way of Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) as the Spaniard, fresh from signing a 2020 Moto2™ deal with the Sama Qatar Angel Nieto squad, looks to overturn the one-point differential to Dalla Porta in the title chase. Honda Team Asia’s Kaito Toba was second after this morning’s FP1 and, despite failing to improve in the afternoon, remains safely inside the top ten in seventh.
A second rider crashes coming onto the Wellington Straight! ????@makyurchenko76 is absolutely fine, which is more than can be said for his motorcycle! ????#BritishGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/qIsNDdiNJj
— MotoGP™ ???????? (@MotoGP) August 23, 2019
Romano Fenati (VNE Snipers) started his quest for back-to-back Moto3™ wins by ending the first day in eighth, just 0.014 of a second ahead of Junior World Championship leader Jeremy Alcoba, as the young Spaniard continues to impress whilst deputising for the injured Gabriel Rodrigo, and another Junior World Championship contender in Stefano Nepa.
Having started his home round in the worst possible way this morning, Petronas Sprinta Racing’s John McPhee ended 14th along with signing a new deal to remain with the Malaysian outfit in 2020.
Top 10 combined:
1. Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers) 2:12.008
2. Albert Arenas (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team) + 0.216
3. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) + 0.244
4. Darryn Binder (CIP Green Power) + 0.279
5. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.407
6. Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) + 0.644
7. Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia) + 0.674
8. Romano Fenati (VNE Snipers) + 0.681
9. Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) + 0.695
10. Stefano Nepa (Reale Avintia Arizona 77) + 0.732
Click here for the full results!