0.001 splits Navarro, Pasini in FP3 shootout

Moto2™ Free Practice at the GoPro British Grand Prix belongs to Jorge Navarro (Campetella Speed Up) after the Spaniard was able to claim P1 in FP3 with a lap record time of 2:04.648. However, Mattia Pasini (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) was just 0.001 behind in second as the top four of Navarro, Pasini, Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) and Augusto Fernandez (FlexBox HP 40) were split by less than a tenth.

With the sun beaming down at Silverstone, the Moto2™ field were quick to get into the groove as plenty of riders improved their Friday times from the get-go. Home hero Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) took over at the top before Navarro pounced, retaking his claim as the man to beat this weekend. And the Speed Up rider stayed at the summit for the rest of the session, but the competition was close.

Gardner, Lowes, Championship leader Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Fernandez were all threatening at the sharp end of the times, but it was Pasini who would go closest to toppling Navarro. The Italian couldn’t have been any closer to beating the number 9 rider, a time of 2:04.649 on his 11th flying lap put him a minuscule 0.001 away from Navarro.

As the chequered flag waved, Navarro held on to lead Pasini, Gardner and Fernandez into qualifying, with Marquez’ final lap bringing him a 2:04.787 to put him fifth. Lowes continues his solid form on home soil to take sixth, 0.262 off P1. The British rider was the last to venture below the 2:05 bracket, with Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) next on the timing tower with a 2:05.001. SKY Racing Team VR46’s Luca Marini went well in the final stages to claim P8, the Italian placing himself 0.004 ahead of compatriot Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP 40), who ends as the only rider inside the top 10 to not go faster on Saturday morning. Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) rounds out a first to tenth covered by 0.7 seconds.

There are some big names missing out on a top 14 and will, therefore, contest Q1. The first of those is Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with the likes of Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) also having a disappointing Free Practice.

Tetsuta Nagashima’s (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) late crash didn’t cost him an automatic Q2 place – rider ok.

Tune in for Moto2™ qualifying at 15:05 local time (GMT+1)!

Click here for the full results!