Italian Moto3: Suzuki secures pole as qualifying ends under red flag conditions
Tatsuki Suzuki timed his final run to perfection as he slipped in behind Pedro Acosta to gain a strong slipstream in the final sector and take pole with a new lap record.
The SIC58 Squadra Corse Honda rider replicated the move which saw him move up from Q1 with the top time, but in Q2 he improved to set a record 1m 56.001s of Mugello.
Celebrations were subdued as, at the same time, Jason Dupasqier was making avoiding moves around Sergio Garcia - then fell in the path of Ayumu Sasaki who was sent flying skyward. Jeremy Alcoba was caught up in the aftermath as he also arrived unsighted to the crash over the crest at turn nine.
Alcoba walked away while medics arrived to treat Sasaki and Dupasquier, a helicopter eventually taking the Swiss rider to hospital in Florence.
Ahead of Suzuki on track, Acosta was using his Red Bull KTM Ajo team-mate Jaume Masia as a reference. Not quite close enough to gain the kind of speed that the Japanese rider found behind him, the rookie was still able to pull himself into second - just over half a second off the pole time.
The championship leader again had left himself much to do after missing out on the automatic Q2 spots and started the session by leaving the pits first and setting the benchmark before most of the field had exited.
Gabriel Rodrigo set his best lap on his first flyer. Spending much of the session sat in the pits his best held onto third for the Gresini rider.
Dennis Foggia’s final time attack saw the Leopard man claim the final front row spot, becoming the highest qualifying Italian ahead of their home grand prix.
Masia was shuffled back by the riders taking a tow. The Spaniard starts fifth.
Before the accident at the chequered flag, Alcoba had done enough to set the sixth best time on the second Gresini.
Romano Fenati was last out of the pits. He lapped confidently alone on his home track to claim seventh for Sterilgarda Max Racing and was the top Husqvarna.
Eighth went to Niccolo Antonelli after he came up from Q1 for Avintia Esponsorama. He was just ahead of an ever improving John McPhee in ninth for Petronas Sprinta Racing.
Before the fall, Red Bull KTM Tech 3’s Sasaki had done enough to claim a top ten place. Similarly, Dupasquier was running well with the eleventh best time to his name for CarXpert PruestelGP.
Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) was the last of the Q1 graduates in twelfth.
Le Mans winner Sergio Garcia will start 15th as the top GasGas rider.
Andrea Migno began qualifying with the previous new lap record under his belt having set it in the morning FP3 session, but could not replicate that pace in the more overcast qualifying conditions. He starts 17th for Rivacold Snipers.
Wildcard Alberto Surra, riding for Team Barsahl VR46 riders academy as he does in the CIV, spent much of the session in the progression places only demoted by Toba at the close of the session. Wisely sitting in behind Acosta, he was 5th in Q1 which translates to 19th on the grid.
He is joined by his fellow wildcard team-mate Elia Bartolini, who starts 23rd.
Xavier Artigas was the first person to hit the track after a slow start. Initially running solo and then running in the second pack he too just missed out for Leopard in 20th.
Ryusei Yamanaka (CarXpert PruestelGP) took part in Q1 despite injuring his toe in a fall in the morning session. He finished 25th overall.
A huge high side for Takuma Matsuyama in Q1 saw him almost fly into the path of Adrian Fernandez. Replacing the injured Yuki Kunii who broke his collarbone in Le Mans, he played no further part in the session.
Also during the eventful Q1session, a slowing Riccardo Rossi left Izan Guevara no place to go at turn ten, launching the rookie into the gravel. The Spaniard was taken to the medical centre for a check up.
