Despite a small fall at the end of the session, Bulega managed to win during the first free practice session ahead of Enea Bastianini, Ayumu Sasaki, Joan Mir, Bo Bendsneyder and Niccolo Antonelli.
|
#AustralianGP Moto3™ |
2016 |
2017 |
| FP1 | 1'49.589 Nicolo Bulega | 1'38.582 Nicolo Bulega |
| FP2 |
1'54.692 John McPhee |
|
| FP3 |
1'45.429 Francesco Bagnaia |
|
| Qualification |
1'37.696 Brad Binder |
|
| Warm Up |
1'37.558 Andrea Locatelli |
|
| Course | Binder, Locatelli, Canet (see here) | |
| All time lap record |
1'36.050 Alex Marquez 2014 |
The weather was better than the day before when the teams arrived at Phillip Island this Friday, with a little rain in the morning, but also a very strong wind. The air temperature was 15° and that of the track 13°. The asphalt was mostly dry, with some moisture in places.
Joan Mir will be crowned World Champion on Sunday if
He wins or finishes 2nd
He ranks 3rd and Romano Fenati does not win the race
He ranks 4th or 5th and Romano Fenati does not do better than 3rd
He ranks 6th, 7th or 8th and Romano Fenati is not on the podium
He ranks 9th or 10th and Romano Fenati finishes in 5th position or beyond
He ranks 11th and Romano Fenati finishes in 6th position or beyond
He ranks 12th and Romano Fenati finishes in 7th position or beyond
He ranks 13th and Romano Fenati finishes in 8th position or beyond
He ranks 14th and Romano Fenati finishes in 9th position or beyond
He ranks 15th and Romano Fenati finishes in 10th position or beyond
He did not enter the points and Romano Fenati finished in 11th position or beyond.
Maria Herrera replaced Albert Arenas at Aspar:
Welcome back @MariiaHerrera_6!# Moto3 FP1 is underway! #AustralianGP pic.twitter.com/UOV9ubJe2x
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 19, 2017
Joan Mir set the first fast time in 1'41.076. Bo Bendsneyder took over the lead in 1'40.965, but Mir took the lead again in 1'39.939. Jorge Martin accelerated in 1'39.555 ahead of Mir and Marco Bezzecchi (CIP) who was very motivated at the end of the season.
Philipp Oettl and Darryn Binder made contact and the German fell (furious) in turn 2. Jorge Martin improved to 1'39.128, 0.3 ahead of Oettl and 0.3 ahead of Mir. Jules Danilo was then in ninth position at 0.9.
That's not the way to get things going at the #AustralianGP!
Contact between Binder & Oettl leaves Philipp sliding on the grass😧 pic.twitter.com/jbQpvm6IoB
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 19, 2017
Enea Bastianini took the lead a quarter of an hour from the checkered flag in 1'39.075. He was 0.005 ahead of Joan Mir and 0.053 ahead of Jorge Martin. Romano Fenati, currently second in the Championship, fell due to a big high side in turn 11. He was only in twenty-first position.
Joan Mir took command in 1'38.687. Bo Bendsneyder was closing in at 0.105. Nicolo Bulega moved into first position 2 minutes from the end in 1'38.582. But Bulega fell (without seriousness) in turn 4 just in front of Aron Canet who also fell.
OOPS!
Bulega & Canet go down at turn 4 (both OK)… check out the slow mo of @aroncanet44's front locking up!😬#AustralianGP pic.twitter.com/fcFOXVUjge
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 19, 2017
Nicolo Bulega retained the lead under the checkered flag, ahead of Enea Bastianini, Ayumu Sasaki, Joan Mir, Bo Bendsneyder and Niccolo Antonelli. Jules Danilo was sixteenth.
Results of the first free practice session (compiled by crash.net):
1. Nicholas Bulega ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 1m 38.582s
2. Enea Bastianini ITA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 1m 38.656s
3. Ayumu Sasaki JPN SIC Racing Team (Honda) 1m 38.670s
4. Joan mir SPA Leopard Racing (Honda) 1m 38.687s
5. Will Bendsneyder NED Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 38.704s
6. Niccolo Antonelli ITA Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 38.716s
7. George Martin SPA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 (Honda) 1m 38.877s
8. Marco Bezzecchi ITA CIP (Mahindra) 1m 39.178s
9. Andrea Migno ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 1m 39.303s
10. Juanfran Guevara SPA RBA BOE Racing Team (KTM) 1m 39.312s
11. Adam Norrodin MAL SIC Racing Team (Honda) 1m 39.353s
12. Marcos Ramirez SPA Platinum Bay Real Estate (KTM) 1m 39.420s
13. Philipp Oettl GER Südmetall Schedl GP Racing (KTM) 1m 39.423s
14. Aron canet SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 1m 39.483s
15. Livio Law BEL Leopard Racing (Honda) 1m 39.530s
16. Jules Danilo FRA Marinelli Rivacold Snipers (Honda) 1m 39.627s
17. Jakub Kornfeil CZE Peugeot MC Saxoprint (Peugeot) 1m 39.809s
18. Manuel Pagliani ITA CIP (Mahindra) 1m 39.926s
19. Lorenzo Dalla Porta ITA Aspar Mahindra Moto3 (Mahindra) 1m 39.929s
20. gabriel rodrigo ARG RBA BOE Racing Team (KTM) 1m 39.996s
21. Darryn binder RSA Platinum Bay Real Estate (KTM) 1m 39.998s
22. Tatsuki suzuki JPN SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) 1m 40.106s
23. Nakarin Atiratphuvapat THA Honda Team Asia (Honda) 1m 40.170s
24. Fabio DiGiannantonio ITA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 (Honda) 1m 40.380s
25. Roman Fenati ITA Marinelli Rivacold Snipers (Honda) 1m 40.445s
26. John mcphee GBR British Talent Team (Honda) 1m 40.866s
27. Tony Arbolino ITA SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) 1m 40.901s
28. Patrick Pulkkinen END Peugeot MC Saxoprint (Peugeot) 1m 40.980s
29. Kaito Toba JPN Honda Team Asia (Honda) 1m 42.272s
30. Maria Herrera SPA Aspar Mahindra Moto3 (Mahindra) 1m 42.374s
Tom Toparis AUS Cube Racing (KTM) No Time
Reference times:
Test record: 1'36.050 by Alex Marquez (Honda) in 2014
Lap record: 1'36.302 by Jack Miller (KTM) in 2014
Best top speed: 252,8 km/h for Juanfran Guevara (Kalex KTM) in 2014
Provisional ranking of the World Championship:
1 Joan MIR-Honda 271 points
2 Romano FENATI-Honda 216
3 Aron CANET-Honda 184
4 Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO-Honda 146
5 Jorge MARTIN-Honda 135
6 John MCPHEE-Honda 112
7 Marcos RAMIREZ-KTM 107
8 Andrea MIGNO-KTM 106
9 Enea BASTIANINI-Honda 103
10 Philipp OETTL-KTM 101
…19 Jules DANILO-Honda 29
