Masia lays down a marker with new lap record

Leopard Racing’s Jaume Masia set a new outright lap record in FP2 in the Moto3™ class, helping him try and secure his place in Q2 at the Tissot Emilia Romagna and Rimini Riviera Grand Prix. The Spaniard needs to get again of the game as he's one of a handful of riders suspended from the final 15 minutes of FP3 on Saturday.

With less than two minutes to go on the Free Practice clock, the Spaniard put in a scorching 1.41.663 to go one better than Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in FP1, breaking the previous lap record.

It means Masia now tops the combined times in the lightweight class, with Fernandez just behind him as he continued his impressive work on Friday afternoon, despite highsiding at Turn 6 earlier in the session where he was fortunate to walk away unscathed.

Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46) will hope to put last weekend’s disappointing early race retirement behind him and he showed encouraging signs in FP2, just three tenths of a second behind the pacesetter, a marked improvement from the morning session.

SIC58 Squadra Corse's Tatsuki Suzuki also saw an improvement in the afternoon session, after crashing at Turn 4 in FP1, as the Championship contender pushed himself into the top five combined times. He ended the day ahead of Andrea Migno (SKY Racing Team VR46) with just over a tenth of a second between them.

Next to nothing separated Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) and Filip Salac (Rivacold Snipers Team) as they sit sixth and seventh overall, while Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) backed up his promising form in FP1 with another strong show in the afternoon session.

Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) recovered from a slide into the gravel at the final corner, a repeat of his FP2 crash from last week, to maintain his place in the top ten. The Argentinean just got the better of Stefano Nepa (Gaviota Aspar Team Moto3), who rounds out the top 10.   

Combined top ten:
1. Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) – 1:41.663
2. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.299
3. Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.320
4. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.412
5. Andrea Migno (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.426
6. Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) + 0.463
7. Filip Salac (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.470
8. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 0.489
9. Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) + 0.549
10. Stefano Nepa (Gaviota Aspar Team Moto3) + 0.564

Click here for full results!