Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia emerged with the fastest after Moto3’s first dry-weather session at the new-look Red Bull Ring.
The Italian set a 1:41.774 with the chequered flag out in FP2 at the Austrian Grand Prix to top the session and the day, with Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) second with a lap time set just before he was involved in a crash with Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse).
John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) took third as both AutoSolar GASGAS Aspar Team riders, Izan Guevara and Sergio Garcia, made it into the top 14, which could be particularly important given the threat of rain when FP3 unfolds on the following morning...
With the track having dried out after a wet FP1, it was no surprise that every rider immediately went quicker than their personal-best time from the morning session. Initially, the name at the top changed with every passing lap, before Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) consolidated first position with a 1:42.165 just before the quarter-hour mark, a time which held up until the final five minutes.
By then, Daniel Holgado had not long gone quicker but his 1:41.989 would not stand due to a breach of track limits, meaning Red Bull KTM Ajo team-mate Jaume Masia had the honours of breaking Sasaki’s hold on top spot when he punched out a 1:41.959.
Almost as soon as he had done so, Öncü clocked a 1:41.816, but he was on the floor moments later again in an incident with Fellon, who lost the front of his Honda at Turn 1. Stewards reviewed the incident but opted to take no action, while both riders were okay.
With everyone trying to secure a provisional berth in Q2, there was a flurry of red and orange sectors as the chequered flag came out. Foggia elevated himself from fifth to first with a 1:41.774 and Leopard Racing team-mate Tatsuki Suzuki subsequently set a 1:42.035.
Suzuki would be classified fourth all-told given Öncü’s earlier lap time and a very late effort from McPhee, who clocked a 1:41.823 as he got a double tow across the finish line.
Provisional Q2 places
Behind Foggia, Öncü, McPhee and Suzuki, Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets - MSI) claimed fifth on a 1:42.080, ahead of Sasaki on a 1:42.085, then Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Masia, and David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), the latter of whom had light contact with Öncü exiting Turn 2b in the early stages of the session.
Guevara took 12th on a 1:42.193 and Garcia 13th on a 1:42.251, as they continue to battle each other for World Championship supremacy. Kaito Toba (CIP Green power) pipped returning rookie teammate Joel Kelso by just 0.010 to take the final, provisional place in Q2.
