#ArgentinaGP Moto3 FP1: Joan Mir on her way to Qatar

It was on a track in relatively good clean condition, unlike previous years, that the Spaniard Joan Mir confirmed his good form at the start of the season by setting the best time, ahead of Gabriel Rodrigo, Nicolo Bulega, Juanfran Guevara and Romano. Fenati.

#ArgentinaGP Moto3	2016	2017
FP1	1'52.467 Enea Bastianini	1'51.559 Joan Mir
FP2	1'51.137 Enea Bastianini
FP3	1'49.994 Romano Fenati
QP	1'49.767 Brad Binder
Warm Up	1'59.445 Khairul Idham Pawi
Course	Pawi Navarro Binder
All time lap record	1'48.461 Oliveira 2015

The temperature was relatively cool for this region of Argentina, with 22° for the air and 24° for the track. There was a little wind (20 km/h) and a few clouds. Gabriel Rodrigo, the only Argentine driver in all categories, was declared fit by the organization's doctors on Thursday, but his broken collarbone during testing for the Qatar Grand Prix did not make the weekend easier for him.

In the three editions of the Argentine Grand Prix preceding this year's, the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 team completely monopolized pole position by setting the best time all three times. Jules Danilo did not participate in this first session due to gastroenteritis. He was being treated at the Mobile Clinic, hoping to participate in the second free session, four hours later.

Joan mir, the winner of the Qatar Grand Prix, set the first reference time in 1'54.2. Then Juanfran Guevara improved to 1'53.049. Romano Fenati was the first to go under 1'53, in 1'52.632. Gabriel Rodrigo seemed to be riding without too much difficulty, then thirteenth. Joan Mir regained the lead in 1'52.477. Many drivers returned to the pits after 5 to 7 evaluation laps to make initial adjustments.

At mid-session, Juanfran Guevara moved into third position just behind his Team RBA teammate Gabriel Rodrigo, 0.1 behind Joan Mir. Overall, the pilots said they were quite satisfied with the condition of the track. Mir increased the pace in 1'51.697, a good time for a first session, despite a rather annoying headwind in the straight. He then had a full second lead over Rodrigo, Guevara and Fenati. Andrea Migno stopped on the side of the track due to a technical problem.

At the end of the session, most of the drivers were using a hard Dunlop at the rear, the medium allocation being limited and the grip of the track not justifying the use of a medium. With 6 minutes to go, Fenati moved into second, 0.4 behind Mir. The Spaniard progressed in 1'51.559. A fast group was formed and Guevara took advantage to move up to second position, 0.404 behind Mir, 0,04 ahead of Fenati. Enea Bastianini, who was languishing around twentieth place, moved up to fifth.

Joan Mir finished the session in the lead ahead of Gabriel Rodrigo, Nicolo Bulega, Juanfran Guevara and Romano Fenati.

Results of the first free practice session:

1. Joan mir SPA Leopard Racing (Honda) 1m 51.559s
2. gabriel rodrigo ARG RBA BOE Racing Team (KTM) 1m 51.768s
3. Nicholas Bulega ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 1m 51.918s
4. Juanfran Guevara SPA RBA BOE Racing Team (KTM) 1m 51.963s
5. Roman Fenati ITA Marinelli Rivacold Snipers (Honda) 1m 52.012s
6. Livio Law BEL Leopard Racing (Honda) 1m 52.335s
7. Enea Bastianini ITA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 1m 52.388s

8. Andrea Migno ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 1m 52.413s
9. Aron canet SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 1m 52.429s
10. John mcphee GBR British Talent Team (Honda) 1m 52.502s
11. Jakub Kornfeil CZE Peugeot MC Saxoprint (Peugeot) 1m 52.524s
12. Niccolo Antonelli ITA Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 52.700s
13. Darryn binder RSA Platinum Bay Real Estate (KTM) 1m 52.768s
14. Adam Norrodin MAL SIC Racing Team (Honda) 1m 52.778s
15. Philipp Oettl GER Südmetall Schedl GP Racing (KTM) 1m 52.816s
16. George Martin SPA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 (Honda) 1m 52.852s
17. Marcos Ramirez SPA Platinum Bay Real Estate (KTM) 1m 52.863s
18. Will Bendsneyder NED Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 52.883s
19. Fabio DiGiannantonio ITA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 (Honda) 1m 52.909s
20. Nakarin Atiratphuvapat THA Honda Team Asia (Honda) 1m 53.017s
21. Tatsuki suzuki JPN SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) 1m 53.020s
22. Lorenzo Dalla Porta ITA Aspar Mahindra Moto3 (Mahindra) 1m 53.042s
23. Marco Bezzecchi ITA CIP (Mahindra) 1m 53.066s
24. Ayumu Sasaki JPN SIC Racing Team (Honda) 1m 53.240s
25. Kaito Toba JPN Honda Team Asia (Honda) 1m 53.248s
26. Albert Arenas SPA Aspar Mahindra Moto3 (Mahindra) 1m 53.253s
27. Tony Arbolino ITA SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) 1m 53.478s
28. Manuel Pagliani ITA CIP (Mahindra) 1m 53.667s
29. Maria Herrera SPA AGR Team (KTM) 1m 54.222s
30. Patrick Pulkkinen END Peugeot MC Saxoprint (Peugeot) 1m 56.112s
Jules Danilo FRA Marinelli Rivacold Snipers (Honda) No Time