Australia Moto3 FP1: Tony Arbolino under the deluge

This Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island could well determine the World Champion of the year in the Moto3 category. Indeed, Arón Canet (-47 points) and Tony Arbolino (-68 points) having failed to score points in Japan, Lorenzo Dalla Porta has the chance to win his first world title this Sunday. To do this, he will need to score 4 points more than Arón Canet

Otherwise, Honda arrives at Phillip Island with a 69-point lead over KTM in the Moto3 Constructors' World Championship and could also win the title in Australia if the brand's leading rider does not give up more than six points to the leading KTM rider. However, it will not be simple because KTM won six of the seven Moto3 races held at Phillip Island, from 2012 to 2016. Joan mir (Honda) in 2017 is the only non–KTM rider to have won at this circuit in the category so far.

But this all concerns Sunday's clash, and, for the moment, the drivers in the category are more focused on the weather conditions. After the splendid days which preceded it, and in accordance with the forecasts, this Friday is indeed cooler and windier, with above all a sky which is now starting to pour and a completely wet track at 20°.

Here is the table of available references:

When the track opens for a duration of 40 minutes, it is Makar Yurchenko (KTM, BOE Skull Rider Mugen Race) who is most eager to test the grip of the Australian asphalt.

The Russian-Kazakh pilot sets the first benchmark in 1'58 but is quickly overwhelmed by who achieves 1'51.430 in his first flying lap

Yanni Show, the local of the stage who participates as a wild card lightly loses control of his KTM at turn number 12.

John mcphee (Honda, Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Roman Fenati (Honda, Snipers Team) then show that they are still comfortable in the wet but it is Tony Arbolino (Honda, Snipers Team) who is the first to break the 1'50 mark, in 1'49.914.

After fifteen minutes, Albert Arenas (KTM, Angel Nieto Team) and Niccolo Antonelli (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse) leave without consequences for the mistake, in turns four and eight respectively.

Meanwhile, the two drivers of the VNE Snipers team continue to dominate, Tony Arbolino picking up the pace in 1'48.024.

Mid-session, the build-up intensifies and Riccardo rossi (Honda, Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) will hit the wall at turn two.

The hierarchy is then composed of Tony Arbolino, Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Honda, Leopard Racing), Romano Fenati, Darryn Binder (KTM, CIP-Green Power), John McPhee, Andrea Migno (KTM, Mugen Race), Sergio Garcia (Honda, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), Riccardo Rossi, Arón Canet (KTM, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) and Alonso lopez (Honda, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), but the latter is already more than three seconds behind.

Marcos Ramirez (Honda, Leopard Racing) is one of the rare drivers to remain on the track, but the times are no longer evolving at the top of the rankings.

Alonso lopez falls without gravity at turn 2 five minutes from the checkered flag, and if we note some improvements in the second part of the table, the first remains generally unchanged since the times were achieved there before the rain intensified.

Albert Arenas then experiences his second fall of the session, in turn number 2 which will also see Andrea Migno go to the ground, just before the checkered flag is lowered.

FP1 standings for the Australian Moto3 Grand Prix at Phillip Island:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com