David Alonso’s (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) early 1:58.511 ensured he finished Friday top of the Moto2 pile, but only just. 0.018s adrift in P2 sits home hero Filip Salač (OnlyFans American Racing Team), the Czech star getting his weekend up and running in superb fashion, while it’s World Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) who completes a top three covered by 0.108s heading into the weekend.
In a session that was briefly red-flagged following a Turn 13 crash for Barry Baltus (REDS Fantic Racing) - the Belgian was taken to hospital for further checks - Alonso’s time on his third lap ended up being the fastest of the lot in the scorching Brno temperatures. His teammate Daniel Holgado ended Friday in P4, with Hungarian GP podium finisher Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) a constant threat up the sharp end of the standings – the Australian was P5.
Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) was seventh, one place behind Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team), while third in the championship, Celestino Vietti (HDR SpeedRS Team), squeezed into Q2 in P14 after the Italian suffered a technical issue in FP1.
And a shout-out to 11th place Taiyo Furusato (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) after the Japanese rider bagged his first automatic Q2 result of the season. The Japanese rider finished Practice one place behind fellow rookie Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo).