After we witnessed lap records being broken in the Moto3™ and MotoGP™ classes on Friday and Saturday morning, it was time for Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) to make sure there was a new all-time Moto2™ lap record at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España too. The German’s 1:41.109 was enough to beat Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to P1 by 0.088, with Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46) continuing to have a great weekend to finish P3 on the combined times.
All looking good for @MarcelSchrotter out front! ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) July 18, 2020
He's absolutely flying! ????#SpanishGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/k7wpIBDEWJ
With the MotoGP™ Michelin rubber laid down after the premier class’ FP3, the Moto2™ riders were straight down to business in FP3 as the fight for the top 14 positions raged. Schrötter and Martin immediately improved their Friday times and on their third flying laps, the duo went to the top of the times. Schrötter becoming the fastest-ever man to lap Jerez on a Moto2™ machine, with Martin less than a tenth off.
Some other early improvers were Edgar Pons (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) and Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing). The duo sat P27 and P23 after Friday’s running, but the Spaniard and Briton weren’t messing about in the early stages of FP3 to slot themselves into the top 10 – a fantastic effort from both. Rookie Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team Moto2) was another to improve in the opening stint of FP3, as the riders then seemed to find it tricky to improve their times as track temperatures increased, and grip decreased.
Bezzecchi was one of those who did find time however. On his final flying two laps, the Italian was able to get within two tenths of Schrötter despite carrying an ankle injury. The SKY VR46 rider sits just ahead of Friday pacesetter and teammate Luca Marini at the end of Free Practice in Jerez, the Italian one of a few riders who didn’t manage to go better on Saturday morning. Not that it mattered, with Marini sitting in a comfortable P4. Championship leader Tetsuta Nagashima (Red Bull KTM Ajo) heads into qualifying as the fifth fastest Moto2™ rider, with Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) – who missed the opening round in Qatar through injury – claiming sixth.
Seventh went to now-former Jerez lap record holder Jorge Navarro (HDR Heidrun Speed Up), the Spaniard was another who didn’t improve his time from Friday, with Canet cementing P8 on the combined times. Pons and Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) – another rider to go quick in the final stages – completed the top 10, with Dixon, Hector Garzo (FlexBox HP 40), his teammate Lorenzo Baldassarri and Remy Gardner (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) completing the top 14 and automatic Q2 places.
Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) crashed at Jorge Lorenzo corner before going down again at Turn 10. The Thai rider was taken to the medical centre for a check-up.
Schrötter is the rider to beat in the Moto2™ class, but conditions this afternoon will be very different in qualifying. Tune in for Q1 at 15:10 local time (GMT+2).
Top 14 combined (automatic Q2):
1. Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) – 1:41.109
2. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.088
3. Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.192
4. Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.301
5. Tetsuta Nagashima (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.309
6. Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) + 0.325
7. Jorge Navarro (HDR Heidrun Speed Up) + 0.349
8. Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team Moto2) + 0.432
9. Edgar Pons (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) + 0.449
10. Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) + 0.489
11. Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.496
12. Hector Garzo (FlexBox HP 40) + 0.666
13. Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP 40) + 0.666
14. Remy Gardner (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) + 0.671
Click here for the full results!