Solunion Aspar Team Moto3's Albert Arenas shrugged off his suspension from the final 15 minutes of FP3 to set the fastest lap of the weekend so far at the Liqui Moly Teruel Grand Prix and, as a result, lead the lightweight class into qualifying later on Saturday afternoon. The Championship leader chucked in a 1:57.564, over a tenth of a second under Raul Fernandez's pole lap from last weekend, with the Red Bull KTM Ajo man also going fastest than last weekend in second place.
With just over a minute to spare! ????@AlbertArenas75 goes top, moments before his suspension is due to begin! ⏱️#AlcanizGP ???? pic.twitter.com/VAtylpxm5t
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) October 24, 2020
Last week's poleman was also forced to sit out the final 15 minutes of the session for riding slowly in Q2 at the Aragon Grand Prix, with the Spanish pair nearly seeing their top two spots taken away by SKY Racing Team VR46's Celestino Vietti when the Italian jumped to third, 0.095 adrift of Arenas, in the closing stages.
Sterilgarda Max Racing Team's Romano Fenati continued his fine MotorLand form by sitting fourth on the timesheets, just ahead of Honda Team Asia's Ai Ogura in fifth. Another man sitting out the final 15 minutes of FP3 was Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3), however, the Japanese rider ended up sixth. Still less than three tenths away from top spot are both CIP Green Power's Darryn Binder and Leopard Racing's Dennis Foggia in seventh and eighth.
On his return to action this weekend, Rivacold Snipers Team's Tony Arbolino left it late to take a place inside the top ten in ninth, before Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) takes the final place inside the top ten.
The penalties prove crucial! ????@FilipSalac12 and @gabrirodrigo2 are bumped out of Q2! ❌#AlcanizGP ???? pic.twitter.com/lVJjF4nUO2
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) October 24, 2020
Only two men kept hold of their place inside the top 14 and, therefore, a direct spot in Q2 despite improving in FP3, those being FP1's fastest man Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and FP2's fastest man Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3), both of which sat out the final 25 minutes of FP3 following a fourth offence of riding slowly in last week's Q2.
Top 10 combined:
1. Albert Arenas (Solunion Aspar Team Moto3) – 1:57.564
2. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.084
3. Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.095
4. Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) + 0.115
5. Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) + 0.143
6. Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) + 0.251
7. Darryn Binder (CIP Green Power) + 0.275
8. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 0.290
9. Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.413
10. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.414