Algarve Moto3: Garcia returns in style with pole, Foggia ahead of Acosta
Sergio Garcia made a stunning return to form as he bounced back from injury with his first pole position ahead of round 17 of 18 in the Moto3 championship - The Algarve Grand Prix at Portimao.
The GasGas Aspar rider left it late to post his best of 1m 47.214s, as he took control of the penultimate qualifying session of the season, setting a new lap record in the process. The Spaniard had missed the last few rounds to take time to recover from bruising to his kidney caused in his crash at the Americas.
Second went to John McPhee who used the session well to attack the top time, chipping away to finish just 0.017s slower for Petronas Sprinta Racing.
Coming through just behind the Honda rider was Adrian Fernandez, who enjoyed his best qualifying to date in his rookie season with a performance strong enough for a first front row start.
The Sterilgarda Max Racing rider ensures a mix of manufacturers on the front row with Husqvarna.
Leopard’s Dennis Foggia took advantage in the title chase by posting the fourth best time to lead off row two as he lead a train of riders over the line to the chequered flag.
With Acosta’s simplest shot at the title coming from winning the race, as he did on his last visit to Portimao earlier in the season, the rookie would have benefited from being as close to his rival on the grid as possible.
The championship leader once again saw the front row elude him - leaving the pits with both team-mate Jaume Masia and Red Bull KTM Tech 3 rider Ayumu Sasaki, he was uneasy behind Masia, with his team-mate not offering much assistance. Next Sasaki tried to lead the way, but after running wide onto the green during his best effort lead to his lap being cancelled, the number 37 dropped from 8th to 14th as the final few flying laps registered.
Masia went on to qualify ahead again in fifth. Foggia’s team-mate Xavier Artigas set the sixth best time, with seventh going to Darryn Binder on the second Petronas Sprinta entry.
Acosta will also have to work his way past eighth placed Niccolo Antonelli, who came through Q1, qualifying just ahead of Filip Salac who will fill ninth on the grid for CarXpert PruestelGP.
Sasaki stars tenth but both he and Izan Guevara already have long lap penalties to serve come race day for irresponsible riding during FP2 on Friday in separate incidents.
Jeremy Alcoba came through from Q1 with the top time on his way to an eventual eleventh for Gresini.
Guevara (12th) and Romano Fenati (13th) on the second Sterilgarda Max Racing bike are also ahead of the title leader on the grid.
A late fall saw Rivacold Snipers’s Andrea Migno unable to answer as he dropped to 16th. An early fall in the session prevented progress for Tatsuki Suzuki who was last in Q2 with no time set.
Yuki Kunii made it through Q1 with the second best time, but his bike stopped just as the session ended. The Honda Team Asia rider pushed his bike through the gravel and arrived back in the pits just in time for the second qualifying session. He returned for 17th.
Maximilian Kofler is absent after failing a Covid test. He is replaced at CIP Green Power by Joel Kelso who was unlucky not to progress from Q1 finishing 19th on his return.
Deniz Oncu serves the second of his two race bans this weekend, Daniel Holgado instead fills his seat at Red Bull KTM Tech 3. He starts 21st on Sunday.
After attempting another return from injury, Gabriel Rodrigo is now ruled out for the remainder of the season as he continues to suffer from shoulder pain which persists, from his Aragon crash.
Mario Aji missed out on a second scheduled wildcard appearance after injuring himself while training on Tuesday.
