Roberts quickest as thousandths of a second decide FP3

Italtrans Racing Team’s Joe Roberts is the fast man in Moto2™ at the completion of FP3 at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, but it could hardly have been much tighter. The American went fastest during his first run with a 1:44.154, knocking Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) off top spot by a matter of only 0.001 seconds, and no one would be able to go faster than those two for the balance of the 40-minute session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) came very close, however, gradually improving to a 1:44.157 on his final run – meaning it was just 0.003 seconds covering the top three.

Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) claimed fourth at 0.020 seconds off Roberts’ pace and, as strange as it seems to say, he had a relatively large 0.034 second margin over the rider who would be classified fifth, Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team). Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP) ensured that just 0.060 seconds separated first from sixth, with seventh through 10th being Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team), Friday pace-setter Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40), Filip Salac (Gresini Racing Moto2™), and Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team).

Lowes was only 0.176 seconds slower than Roberts and, with such fine margins, there were bound to be some upsets. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounded out the top 14 and are therefore straight into Q2, but the same cannot be said for the man who has the edge on Ogura at the top of the World Championship points table thanks to a tie-break. Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was already on the bubble when he improved his time, to 1:44.508, but not his position with five minutes to go, then was out of his seat at Turn 3 on the following lap. Vietti was back to 15th once Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) jumped ahead of him, and that was where he remained, meaning he is going into Q1.

There will be plenty of competition for the top four positions in Q1, with the likes of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), and Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) also having to go the long way if they want to seize pole position. Among those joining them in Q1 will be Marcos Ramirez (MV Agusta Forward Racing), who had an early off in FP3, and Zonta Van Den Goorbergh (RW Racing GP), who was seen walking away from a spill at Turn 4.

There is plenty on the line when Q1 unfolds this Saturday afternoon, so make sure you tune in from 15:10 (GMT +2).

Moto2™ Top 10:

1. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – 1:44.154
2. Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.001
3. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.003
4. Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) + 0.020
5. Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.054
6. Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP) + 0.060
7. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) + 0.136
8. Aron Canet (FlexBox HP40) + 0.145
9. Filip Salac (Gresini Racing Moto2) + 0.173
10. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 0.176

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