Fernandez darts to the top in Qatar Moto3 FP2
Raul Fernandez has seen off Darryn Binder to claim top spot honours at the end of Friday practice at the 2020 Moto3 world championship opener in Qatar.
The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider’s late time attack saw him produce a 2m 04.577s, to go three-tenths faster the Filip Salac’s 2m 04.892s which led last week’s the pre-season test at the Losail International Circuit, and deposed Binder of top spot.
The CIP Green Power KTM rider held on to second place ahead of FP1’s timesheet-topper Sergio Garcia on the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda and Ai Ogura on the Honda Team Asia machine.
Fernandez’s team-mate Kaito Toba rounded out the top five despite a last-lap surge from Tony Arbolino who took sixth place for VNE Snipers Team Honda.
Andrea Migno led the Sky Racing Team VR46 KTM charge in seventh place ahead of Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing Honda) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Husqvarna), as Deniz Oncu (Red Bull KTM Tech3) rounded out the top 10.
Petronas Sprinta Racing Honda’s John McPhee held on to a provisional Q2 spot with 11th place at the end of the second session with Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46), Yuki Kunii (Honda Racing Team) and Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia KTM) also taking Q2 places ahead of tomorrow’s FP3.
With the Qatar MotoGP cancelled due to travel bans amid the coronavirus outbreak, Moto3 along with Moto2 will be taking centre stage at the Losail International Circuit this weekend as part of the revised schedule for the 2020 opening round.
