Brazil's Diogo Moreira has sprinkled some of his samba style across the Red Bull Grand Prix of Spain by setting the fastest lap of the weekend so far to claim top spot in Moto3™ FP3. The MT Helmets - MSI man displaced the fast and consistent Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and the stand-out, stand-in David Salvador (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max Racing Team).
ROOKIE REVOLT
World Championship leader Sergio Garcia set the early marker in FP3, putting together a string of three laps in the low 1:46s. Teammate Guevara then wrestled away control and regained his place at the top of the combined timesheets after holding the overnight lead. A 1:45.738 put him just shy of half a second clear of the rest of the field in a real show of force.
But it wasn't good enough to lead the lightweight class into qualifying as Moreira conjured up a quite brilliant lap in the closing stages to go top by the narrowest of margins. Only 0.002 seconds split the pair at the top. Arguably the performance of the morning came courtesy of replacement rider David Salvador (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max Racing). In only his third Grand Prix appearance, the young Spaniard chucked in a lap good enough for third on the timesheets. Leopard Racing's Dennis Foggia was top Honda in fourth, ahead of Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) in fifth and sixth.
Superb job from the rookie! ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) April 30, 2022
Moreira steals the fastest time by 2 thousandths! ????#Moto3 | #SpanishGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/hjTZUXI96Q
Completing a top ten separated by half a second was Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets - MSI), Garcia, who eventually slipped back to ninth, and Carlos Tatay (CFMoto PruestelGP).
Q1 DOGFIGHT
A late crash for Britain's Scott Ogden at Turn 1 saw him slip down to 16th and outside of the Q2 places, with the same happening to Leopard Racing's Tatsuki Suzuki after a techical issue cut short his final flying lap, leaving him 18th. Compatriot Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power), plus home heroes Xavi Artigas ((CFMoto PruestelGP) and Dani Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) will also fight it out of Q1 later.
Moto3™ qualifying kicks off our Saturday afternoon action at 12:35 local time. We'll see you then!
Moto3™ Top 10 after Free Practice:
1. Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets - MSI) – 1:45.376
2. Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.002
3. David Salvador (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) + 0.179
4. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 0.247
5. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) + 0.288
6. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.352
7. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.409
8. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets - MSI) + 0.449
9. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.478
10. Carlos Tatay (CFMOTO Racing PrustelGP) + 0.521