Red Bull KTM Ajo's Raul Fernandez remained at the top of the Moto3™ timesheets as the opening day of the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia came to an end for the lightweight class. However, it was Petronas Sprinta Racing's John McPhee that set the fastest lap in FP2, just over half a second away from the fastest lap set this morning in slightly cooler conditions.
The best of the seven improvers from FP1 to FP2 was the World Championship leader Albert Arenas (Solunion Aspar Team Moto3), as the Spaniard bounced back from technical gremlins this morning to importantly sneak inside the top 14 and provisionally hold an automatic Q2 place ahead of the final free practice on Saturday morning.
A dominant afternoon from @johnmcp17! ????????????????????????????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) July 24, 2020
The @sepangracing rider tops #Moto3 FP2 ahead of @M16NO and @AlbertArenas75! ????#AndaluciaGP ???? pic.twitter.com/KHLBonO2WA
SIC58 Squadra Corse's Tatsuki Suzuki closes out the opening day second fastest as he guns for three consecutive Moto3™ poles tomorrow, with Rivacold Snipers Team's Filip Salac finding some more of his pre-season form to be third. Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) was fourth fastest and Andrea Migno (SKY Racing Team VR46) rounded out the top five, with the Italian also ending FP2 second quickest just a fraction behind McPhee. Sixth was 2019's Red Bull Rookies Champion Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia Moto3), who looks to be enjoying a better weekend this time around at Jerez after his race ended on the opening lap last Sunday.
Seventh on the timesheets was Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3), ahead of Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) and FP2's pacesetter McPhee. Final place in the top ten was Stefano Nepa (Solunion Aspar Team Moto3), 0.650 of a second adrift of Fernandez's lap. The only man to come under some troubles in the searing Spanish heat was Leopard Racing's Jaume Masia, the Spaniard ending up 26th on the combined timesheets.
With the top 14 split by three quarters of a second, FP3 tomorrow is not to be missed as the lightweight class fight it out for a place in Q2 at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto. Lights go green at 09:00 local time (GMT+2).
Top ten:
1. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – 1:45.896
2. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.216
3. Filip Salac (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.309
4. Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) + 0.341
5. Andrea Migno (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.393
6. Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia Moto3) + 0.396
7. Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) + 0.437
8. Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.464
9. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.491
10. Stefano Nepa (Solunion Aspar Team Moto3) + 0.650