SKY Racing Team VR46's Andrea Migno smashed the previous fastest-ever Moto3™ lap around the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto by three tenths of a second to make himself the man to beat in the lightweight class at the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia ahead of qualifying later today. The Italian is 0.181 seconds clear of John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), who will have impressed many with race pace, and Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3).
Both the Scotsman and the Spaniard also lapped under Tatsuki Suzuki's (SIC58 Squadra Corse) pole lap from last weekend, with McPhee is 0.181 seconds adrift in second, whilst the current Junior Moto3™ World Champion is a quarter of a second behind in third. Completing the top five are last week's front runners Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) and Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo).
As the pressure builds, the mistakes are creeping in! ????@TatsukiSuzuki24 and @FilipSalac12 have both gone down! ????#AndaluciaGP ???? pic.twitter.com/AOydtYYNPK
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) July 25, 2020
Red Bull KTM Ajo had both bikes inside the top six with Kaito Toba one spot back in sixth. Japan's Suzuki will be gunning for three straight pole positions later this afternoon, but a crash at Turn 6, unhurt, in the closing stages of FP3 won't help his preparation for Q2. Inside the top and joining Suzuki in Q2 will be Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team), who's teammate Filip Salac hobbled away from a crash at Turn 13, Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and World Championship leader Albert Arenas (Solunion Aspar Team Moto3).
Completing the top 14 and taking the last remaining automatic places in Q2 are Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46), Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0), who won't be lining up dead last on the grid like he did at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Top 14 combined:
1. Andrea Migno (SKY Racing Team VR46) – 1:45.165
2. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.181
3. Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) + 0.256
4. Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) + 0.350
5. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.375
6. Kaito Toba (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.470
7. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.504
8. Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.526
9. Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) + 0.592
10. Albert Arenas (Solunion Aspar Team Moto3) + 0.602
11. Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.622
12. Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) + 0.664
13. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) + 0.683
14. Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) + 0.699