Moto3 Misano: Suzuki holds firm for maiden pole
Tatsuki Suzuki managed the heat and tricky low grip conditions to claim the top spot on the grid in qualifying for the Moto3 San Marino Grand Prix.
The SIC58 Squadra Corse rider worked hard at a track very special to the team to come through Q1 with teammate Niccolo Antonelli, confidently sat in the pits in the final moments of the session.
With the knowledge gained from the Q1 he pushed hard while the track was optimum, using Antonelli’s Honda ahead of him for slipstream to set a best time of 1m 42.844s.
Another Q1 graduate, Aron Canet claimed second with his last lap, proving late gains could still be made - and it was essential for the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team rider as he looks to fight for the championship lead - issues with set up of his KTM saw him languishing at the bottom of the timesheets with no time set and impressively his final solo lap was just 0.121s slower than Suzuki’s best.
The final front row slot went to Silverstone pole man Tony Arbolino for the VNE Snipers Team.
Jaume Masia (WWR) will lead off row two in fourth, he is joined by top rookie Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) who saw his late lap elevate him from 14th to fifth and Antonelli who was sixth quickest.
Championship leader Lorenzo Dalla Porta had a spill from his Leopard machine and although the mechanics managed a quick turnaround, it was not quite enough to be able to go back out and challenge for a final flying lap, the team sensibly summoning the eager Spaniard back as the clock ticked down. He had to watch as he dropped from fifth to seventh.
Albert Arenas had lead the way in both Friday sessions but found himself eighth in qualifying for Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team.
Marcos Ramirez ( Leopard ) saw his final run lift him to ninth while Andrea Migno had enough pace to complete the top ten on the second Sky Racing entry.
A late fall hampered John McPhee’s progress, the Petronas rider will start 14th, he was top Brit with Tom Booth Amos (CIP Green Power) down in 30th.
Gabriel Rodrigo had been fastest in FP3 but couldn’t link up a strong lap when it mattered most - he had his two fastest laps cancelled leaving him with no time set.
He was listed ahead of Romano Fenati (VNE Snipers), who managed to scrape his way out of Q1 after crashing only to fall again in Q2 in an emotinally charged weekend for the Italian.
Kazuki Masaki (Boe Skull Rider Mugen Race) also crashed during the session and was hit by his bike as both flipped and spun through the gravel, he was sent to the medical centre for further checks.
Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) was unlucky not to progress to Q2, losing the fourth slot late on to Fenati, he had red sectors in the early part of the lap but got tangled in the crowd in the run to the line, leaving him 19th on the grid.
Qatar race winner Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia) also failed to make moves out of Q1, he starts 23rd.
Can Oncu (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is replaced by his brother Deniz after his early FP1 fall left him unable to continue after sustaining a collarbone injury, he will start from 25th after placing tenth in Q1.
Wildcard riders Meikon Kawakami (Fundacion Andreas Perez 77) and Elia Bartolini (Sky Junior Team VR46) and can be found at the back of the grid, in 31st and 32nd respectively.
