Teruel Moto3: Fast Fernandez takes back to back poles at MotorLand
Raul Fernandez made it two in a row as he eased to pole position ahead of the Alcaniz race, never looking troubled once topping the timesheets in qualifying for of the Moto3 Tuerel Grand Prix.
The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider, fresh from his first podium finish in Aragon, spent the first part of the session circulating with his team-mate Kaito Toba. The Spaniard’s best lap saw him hit traffic, but swiftly move past all three riders ahead to set a 1m 51.199 - the best lap of the weekend.
Tony Arbolino came to the track without the benefit of a race at Aragon already under his belt - he was absent last weekend after travelling on a plane with someone who had had a positive Covid test, despite testing negative himself.
The Rivacold Snipers man was immediately sharp at the circuit and despite his lack of track time compared to the rest of the field was able to set the second best time in qualifying, 0.231s behind his compatriot to be the top Honda on the grid.
Fellow Spaniard Celestino Vietti claimed the final front row spot. With a joint run with his Sky Racing team-mate not an option - Andrea Migno failed to advance from Q1 and starts 26th - the number 13 showed he can run just as well solo after leaving it late in the session to leave the pits and join the action. He caught and towed Gabriel Rodrigo for an extra burst of pace over the line.
Rodrigo lacked track time himself as one of many rider to get a practice time penalty. His FP3 penalty saw him miss 25 minutes of track time and not set a lap fast enough to progress automatically to Q2.
The Kommerling Gresini rider pushed his bike to the limit after only just coming through Q1 with the fourth best time to take fourth again in the second session.
Championship leader Albert Arenas spent much of his time on the track solo. He showed consistant pace on the Solunion Aspar before positioning himself behind Arbolino for his final fast run to climb to fifth.
Ayumu Sasaki left it late to move up to sixth for Red Bull KTM Ajo Tech 3, Pushing ahead of Leopard’s Jaume Masia who will line up seventh.
Toba will sit in eighth on the grid alongside fellow countrymen Tatusi Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) in ninth and Ai Ogura, who qualified two places lower than last week in tenth for Honda Team Asia as he tries to keep his championship dreams alive.
Rivacold Snipers Filip Salac came through Q1 with the best time but could only manage eleventh in the final half of qualifying.
Romano Fenati was the best of the Husqvarna rider in 13th for Sterligarda Max Racing.
Jeremy Alcoba wa the highest qualifying rookie - the Gresini rider starts one place further back in 14th.
John McPhee had another tough qualifying session, he was shuffled back to 17th for Petronas Sprinta as Darryn Binder moved into 15th as the chequerd flag waved. Last weekend at the same track he made it back to fifth in the race after taking the long lap penalty.
Niccolo Antonelli will also have to do it all on race day again as he just missed out on taking part in the second half of qualifying. The SIC58 Squadra Corse rider finished the session fifth which means he lines up down in 19th on the grid.
Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia), Alonso Lopez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) and Barry Baldus (CarXpert PruestelGP held the top four progression slots for much of Q1 before being beaten in the closing stages. The trio will line up 20th, 21st and 23rd respectively.
Riccardo Rossi (BOE Skull Rider Facile Energy) misses the weekend after testing positive for Covid-19.
