It is with Sam Lowes in the lead that the French Grand Prix resumes its hostilities on this Saturday which will be qualifying day. Given the weather conditions, we normally already have our Top 14 qualifying for Q2 since the sessions the day before, marked by numerous falls... And therefore yellow flags, which sometimes cancel the times.
A procedure that will need to be monitored and undoubtedly in all categories as the falls are numerous and scattered throughout the route of the cold and wet Bugatti. In the meantime, he doesn't impress the rookie Raul fernandez who could have taken the lead at Le Mans if he had not left a handful of 75 thousandths somewhere on the circuit during the FP2. The pilot Ajo and as talented as Peter Acosta in Moto3 is therefore second, ahead of the teammate of the English leader who also bears the name of Fernandez but with the first name Augusto before.
The leader in the Championship Remy gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) leads the rest of the peloton in front Nicholas Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) who finished the day in fifth place, while Xavi Verge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) finished sixth.
Arón Canet, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) Marco Bezzecchi et Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) completed the Top 10. Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), Stefano manzi (Flexbox HP40), Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) and Héctor Garzo (Flexbox HP40) would be the last automatically selected for Q2, if the weather made any improvement impossible this Saturday morning.
Exactly, what will this FP3 have in store for us? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.
|
Moto2™ Le Mans |
2020 |
2021 |
| FP1 |
1'51.279 Kasma Daniel |
Aron Canet 1'37.535 |
| FP2 |
1'37.400 Jorge Martin |
Sam Lowes 1'36.307s |
| FP3 |
1'36.490 Joe Roberts |
1'38.239s Rául Fernandez |
| Q1 |
1'36.731 Enea Bastianini |
|
| Q2 |
1'36.256 Joe Roberts |
|
| Warm Up |
1'36.859 Sam Lowes |
|
| Course |
Lowes, Gardner, Bezzecchi |
|
| All time lap record |
1'36.188 Francesco Bagnaia 2018 |
It's 14,4° in the air and 7,8° on the track. The sky is covered. The track is drying but nevertheless remains very wet in certain places.
Paddock info….Lopez replaces Montella convalescing following a wrist fracture.
Welcome back to the Grand Prix paddock Alonso Lopez! 👋
A late call up to replace Yari Montella after his injury yesterday, so Alonso will be making him # Moto2 beginning this morning! 🙌#FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/tJ2DZy2k2l
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) May 15, 2021
It's gone for 40min
Dixon went straight out of the pits, the British stalled.
Go time for # Moto2 FP3! 🚦
But not for @jakedixonracing! Problems immediately for the young Brit 👀#FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/5B4bADnBeN
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) May 15, 2021
Baldassari signs the reference time in 1.49.907s. He is ahead Gardner, Corsi and Luthi.
A. Fernandez takes control in 1.49.755s after 9min of session. Bulega, Baldassari, Gardner and Chantra make up this new top5
The American Beaubier in turn took the best time in 1.48.970s. There are 26 minutes left in this session where the drivers are taking it easy… There are 3 of them on the track, Bezzecchi, Virgin et Lopez.
Canet didn't do a single lap, he just got out with 22 minutes to go.
Good humor is essential at Mister Dixon!
How's your session going @jakedixonracing? 😅# Moto2 | #FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/hxE095yPXG
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) May 15, 2021
Bezzecchi whose bike is fitted with slick tires takes control of the session in 1.47.959s.
Slick tire alert! 🚨@ Marco12_B has got the heat into them! 💨# Moto2 | #FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/2RkhJLymIK
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) May 15, 2021
Immediately and before hostilities resume on the track, the 14 qualified for Q2 are: Bezzecchi, Navarro, A. Fernandez, Bulega, Gardner, Lopez, Di Giannantonio, Lowes, Virgo, R. Fernandez, Garzo, Manzi and Bendsneyder.
Bezzecchi pushes and improves further in 1.44.773s. He is imitated in the effort by Syarhin who has the wind in his sails, he takes the 2nd best time in 1.45.337s. But Canet overthrows this leading ranking, he sets a lap time of 1.43.967s. Syarhin dislodging him just as quickly, he took the lead in 1.43.574s.
When conditions are a little tricky, you can always rely on @Hafizh_pescao55! 💨# Moto2 | #FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/k2XpF3RcBk
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) May 15, 2021
More Lowes ends up getting everyone to agree, he sets the best time in 1.42.578s. He is ahead Arbolino who also made the effort in 1.42.688s.
We can see that the condition of the track is improving, Arbolino takes the lead of the troops with a time achieved in 1.40.781s. Next Lowes, Luthi, A. Fernandez and Canet.
La Canet’s touch….
👀 @aroncanet44 leaving his mark ✊# Moto2 | #FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/n3awmV8ooG
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) May 15, 2021
Arbolino takes risks and it pays off, he passes the 1.40 mark, with a time of 1.38.951s. Lowes is 7 tenths behind in 1.39.554s. Dixon, R. Fernandez and Canet bring up the rear of the top5.
End of session and it's finally R. Fernandez who was the fastest in 1.38.239s ahead Navarro, A. Fernandez, Arbolino et Canet.
The 14 qualifiers for Q2 are: R.Fernandez, Navarro, A.Fernandez, Canet, Lowes, Bezzecchi, Di Giannantonio, Manzi, Schrotter, Virgo, Gardner, Garzo, Bendsneyder, Bulega.
A changeable FP3 comes to a close! 🏁@ 25RaulFernandez tops the session on his final flying lap 🔝# Moto2 | #FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/XR9uDn6LC2
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) May 15, 2021
Full ranking:
