Moto3: Oliveira pips Cortese in second practice

Miguel Oliveira fastest during Friday practice (2) for the Portuguese Moto3 Grand Prix at Estoril.

04 May 2012

Oliveira, Spanish Moto3 2012
© Gold and Goose

Home star Miguel Oliveira pipped Sandro Cortese for the top spot during a dry, but windy second Friday practice session for the Portuguese Moto3 Grand Prix at Estoril.

KTM rider Cortese, on pole for the opening round and third in both races this year, led the majority of the session, before facing pressure from Luis Salom and Oliveira in the closing minutes.

Suter-Honda star Oliveira edged 0.014s under young German Cortese's best on his penultimate lap, while Kalex-KTM rider Salom - second last Sunday at Jerez - was left 0.368s from the top in third.

Qatar winner Maverick Vinales, fastest in this morning's damp session, took fourth in the dry after having a lap time cancelled for overtaking under yellows, while Alexis Masbou made it five different designs in the top five.

Rookie Jerez winner and new championship leader Romano Fenati, just 15th in the morning session, steered his FTR-Honda to sixth place for Team Italia FMI. Fenati was -one-second from Oliveira.

Joan Olive, deputising for Niklas Ajo at TT Motion KTM during the Finn's one race ban for a confrontation with the Jerez marshals, finished 19th on his return to the grand prix paddock.

Friday practice (2):

1.Miguel OliveiraPOR (Suter Honda)1m 48.497s
2.Sandro CorteseGER (KTM)1m 48.511s
3.Luis SalomSPA (Kalex KTM)1m 48.879s
4.Maverick Vi?alesSPA (FTR Honda)1m 49.338s
5.Alexis MasbouFRA (Honda)1m 49.410s
6.Romano FenatiITA (FTR Honda)1m 49.560s
7.Danny KentGBR (KTM)1m 49.775s
8.Louis RossiFRA (FTR Honda)1m 49.870s
9.Adrian MartinSPA (FTR Honda)1m 49.937s
10.Arthur SissisAUS (KTM)1m 50.160s
11.Efren VazquezSPA (FTR Honda)1m 50.460s
12.Hector FaubelSPA (Kalex KTM)1m 50.535s
13.Jakub KornfeilCZE (FTR Honda)1m 50.605s
14.Alex RinsSPA (Suter Honda)1m 50.653s
15.Zulfahmi KhairuddinMAL (KTM)1m 50.766s