After total domination by Jorge Martín during the free sessions, Lorenzo Dalla Porta won in FP3, but by only 74 thousandths. Martín, favorite for the title, is therefore in great shape and will give everything to qualify in pole position.
The competition will nevertheless be tough, with opponents who are just as keen to seize first place, like Arón Canet or Enea Bastianini. Qualifying is also uncertain due to the weather: rain is in fact forecast for the session which begins at 19:35 p.m. French time. The drivers having only ridden in the dry, they will quickly have to find the right settings in the wet. Who will come out on top?
Here is the table of results compared to Austin between 2017 and 2018:
|
Austin Moto3™ |
2017 |
2018 |
| FP1 | 2'16.820 Arón Canet | 2'20.005 Jorge Martin |
| FP2 | 2'16.750 Arón Canet | 2'17.423 Jorge Martin |
| FP3 | 2'16.273 Romano Fenati | 2'17.499 Lorenzo Dalla Porta |
| Qualification | 2'16.427 Arón Canet | 2'18.629 Jorge Martin |
| Warm Up | 2'16.427 Arón Canet | |
| Course | Fenati, Martin, Di Giannantonio | |
| All time lap record | 2'16.427 Arón Canet 2017 |
The temperature has barely changed since FP3: 19 degrees in the air and still 20 degrees on the track. On the other hand, the weather has changed and as expected, it is raining. Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai) is the first to launch.
Rain was forecast and that's what we've got as # Moto3 qualifying begins?#AmericasGP pic.twitter.com/icQP1omUW4
- MotoGP ™ ??? (@MotoGP) April 21th
Alonso lopez (Estrella Galicia 0,0) takes the lead in the ranking with a time of 2'35.393, obviously far from those of the other sessions due to the rain. After ten minutes, Marco Bezzecchi (PruestlGP) takes command, in front Tatsuki suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0).
Halfway through the session, several drivers already alternated in the lead: Jorge Martín (Del Conca Gresini), Tatsuki suzuki or even Marco Bezzecchi. The track is starting to dry enough to consider putting on slick tires. Philipp Oettl (Sudmetal Schedl GP Racing) is the first to risk it, and the gamble pays off: he improves the best time by 2,7 seconds in his first lap, then by 3,5 seconds in the next!
Time to roll the dice?
Philipp Oettl switches to slicks!#Americasgp pic.twitter.com/OLkz0ZZi0p
- MotoGP ™ ??? (@MotoGP) April 21th
The drivers imitate the German and in turn return to the pits to put on the slick tires. Eight minutes from the end, Marco Bezzecchi comes close to two tenths. In the last minutes, Arón Canet beats the first time by six tenths. Many drivers improve, everything depends on the last lap. It is finally Jorge Martín which wins for the third time this weekend and which establishes its domination.
Here are the results of this session:
1 Jorge MARTIN SPA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 Honda 2'18.629
2 Aron CANET SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda 2'19.125 0.496 / 0.496
3 John MCPHEE GBR CIP – Green Power KTM 2'19.421 0.792 / 0.296
4 Tatsuki SUZUKI JPN SIC58 Squadra Corse Honda 2'19.428 0.799 / 0.007
5 Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO ITA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 Honda 2'19.497 0.868 / 0.069
6 Enea BASTIANINI ITA Leopard Racing Honda 2'19.577 0.948 / 0.080
7 Dennis FOGGIA ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 KTM 2'19.588 0.959 / 0.011
8 Ayumu SASAKI JPN Petronas Sprinta Racing Honda 2'19.640 1.011 / 0.052
9 Marco BEZZECCHI ITA Redox PruestelGP KTM 2'19.684 1.055 / 0.044
10 Jaume MASIA SPA Bester Capital Dubai KTM 2'19.808 1.179 / 0.124
11 Philipp OETTL GER Sudmetal Schedl GP Racing KTM 2'19.816 1.187 / 0.008
12 Gabriel RODRIGO ARG RBA BOE Skull Rider KTM 2'19.850 1.221 / 0.034
13 Nakarin ATIRATPHUVAPAT THA Honda Team Asia Honda 2'19.970 1.341 / 0.120
14 Marcos RAMIREZ SPA Bester Capital Dubai KTM 2'20.002 1.373 / 0.032
15 Darryn BINDER RSA Red Bull KTM Ajo KTM 2'20.027 1.398 / 0.025
16 Andrea MIGNO ITA Angel Nieto Team Moto3 KTM 2'20.257 1.628 / 0.230
17 Lorenzo DALLA PORTA ITA Leopard Racing Honda 2'20.323 1.694 / 0.066
18 Makar YURCHENKO KAZ CIP – Green Power KTM 2'20.366 1.737 / 0.043
19 Niccolò ANTONELLI ITA SIC58 Squadra Corse Honda 2'20.380 1.751 / 0.014
20 Tony ARBOLINO ITA Marinelli Snipers Team Honda 2'20.485 1.856 / 0.105
21 Jakub KORNFEIL CZE Redox PruestelGP KTM 2'20.824 2.195 / 0.339
22 Alonso LOPEZ SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda 2'20.917 2.288 / 0.093
23 Nicolo BULEGA ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 KTM 2'20.965 2.336 / 0.048
24 Albert ARENAS SPA Angel Nieto Team Moto3 KTM 2'21.021 2.392 / 0.056
25 Adam NORRODIN MAL Petronas Sprinta Racing Honda 2'21.167 2.538 / 0.146
26 Livio LOI BEL Reale Avintia Academy KTM 2'21.279 2.650 / 0.112
27 Kazuki MASAKI JPN RBA BOE Skull Rider KTM 2'22.820 4.191 / 1.541
28 Kaito TOBA JPN Honda Team Asia Honda 2'23.083 4.454 / 0.263
Philipp Oettl
Best lap in the race: Lap: 15 Jorge MARTIN 2'18.629 143.1 Km/h
Record for the best lap in a race: 2017 Aron CANET 2'15.583 146.3 Km/h
Best lap of the circuit: 2017 Aron CANET 2'14.644 147.4 Km/h
