It’s a big weekend for Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) in terms of keeping his Championship hopes alive, but the Spaniard ended Friday exactly where he would have wanted to be. A 1:36.809 sees the KTM rider head title chase leader Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) by 0.281 in the dry conditions, Albert Arenas (Gaviota Angel Nieto Team) completed the top three.
???? @aroncanet44 isn't giving up the #Moto3 title without a fight!
— MotoGP™ ???????? (@MotoGP) October 25, 2019
The @Max_Racing_Team rider edges out @dallap48 to top FP2! ????#AustralianGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/Zgri9vzCzt
A rain-soaked Friday morning was a distant memory as the Australian sun made a welcome appearance for Moto3™ FP2, giving the riders some valuable track time – and what could be the only dry track – ahead of qualifying on Saturday. With wet weather being predicted throughout the weekend, FP2 was vital in terms of claiming a top 14, automatic Q2 place. Canet and FP1’s fastest man Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers) were the first men to break the 1:39 bracket, as the times continued to drop as the clock ticked down.
Canet, who finished 11th in the wet conditions, lapped alone and became the only rider to set a 1:36 in the session, getting the better of Dalla Porta in the latter stages to go almost three tenths clear of anyone else. Dalla Porta led for some parts of FP2 as the Championship leader claimed P2 at the end of Friday’s action ahead of 2018 Phillip Island winner Arenas, with SIC58 Squadra Corse duo Niccolo Antonelli and Tatsuki Suzuki completing the top five. Mugen Race’s Andrea Migno was sixth fastest ahead of John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), both the Italian and Scotsman cementing top 10 pace in the wet and dry conditions, as Romano Fenati (VNE Snipers), Dennis Foggia (SKY Racing Team VR46) and Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) rounded out the top 10.
Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Raul Fernandez (Gaviota Angel Nieto Team), Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura and Riccardo Rossi (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) crashed in FP2 – riders ok.
FP3 will take place at 09:00 local time (GMT+11) – tune in to see what the weather holds for the lightweight class ahead of qualifying.
Combined top 10:
1. Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) – 1:36.809
2. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) + 0.281
3. Albert Arenas (Gaviota Angel Nieto Team) + 0.451
4. Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.549
5. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.634
6. Andrea Migno (Mugen Race) + 0.740
7. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.808
8. Romano Fenati (VNE Snipers) + 0.815
9. Dennis Foggia (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.880
10. Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) + 0.994
Click here for the full results!