Moto3 Assen FP3: Izan Guevara reshuffles the cards on a dry track

The rain had stopped near Assen, however the track remained very wet for this second Moto3 session. And David Muñoz (KTM, BOE SKX, #44) continues to amaze us this season by putting himself in the spotlight again. After causing a sensation in Catalonia with a podium during his second race in the World Championship, the 16-year-old rookie remained among the best in Germany with a new Top 10, but in Assen he seems to want to go further. This Friday, without wasting any time, he was the fastest, twice, on a track he did not know. Author of a lap in 1'49.491, the rookie beat Tatsuki Suzuki (Honda, Leopard Racing, #24) by two tenths. Ryusei Yamanaka (KTM, MT Helmets – MSI, #6), who followed in the wake of his compatriot, gained 20 places.

Behind, Scott Ogden (Honda, VisionTrack Racing Team, #19) and Andrea Migno (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #16) were meanwhile rewarded with fourth and fifth positions, followed by Carlos Tatay (CFMoto, CFMoto Racing PruestelGP, #99), which made a nice improvement, moving up to 6th position, after being classified 14th in FP1. Behind, the SIC58 Squadra Corse pilots, Lorenzo Fellon et Riccardo rossi, were 7th and 8th respectively, followed by Deniz Öncü (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53) and Jaume Masià (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) which complete the Top 10.

John mcphee (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max, #17), Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28), Ivan Ortola (KTM, Team MTA, #48) and the leader in the Championship Sergio Garcia (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #11) would at this stage qualify for Q2 if the times do not improve during this FP3.

The first day in the Netherlands was more complicated for Xavier Artigas (CFMoto, CFMoto Racing PruestelGP, #43) and Daniel Holgado (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #96), who finished 17th and 18th respectively. As for Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7), he also found himself in difficulty on this wet track, since the Italian who generally shines less in these conditions could only finish in 21st position, just ahead of Adrián Fernández (Red Bull KTM Tech3).

Everyone will be watching the Assen sky with suspicion this morning while waiting to improve their times during the FP3 session.

What will be the verdict of this FP3 of Dutch Grand Prix Moto3 version? Before you know it, here is the table that summarizes the facts known so far.

Assen Moto3™	2021	2022
FP1	1'41.748 Dennis Foggia	1'52.406 David Munoz
FP2	1'41.568 Tatsuki Suzuki	1'49.491 David Munoz
FP3	1'41.734 Dennis Foggia	1'41.526 Izan Guevara
QP1	1'41.932 Jaume Masia
QP2	1'41.194 Jeremy Alcoba
warm up	1'41.867 Andrea Migno
Course	Foggia, Garcia, Fenati
All time lap record	1'41.194 Jeremy Alcoba (2021)

On this Saturday morning, the air temperature was 22°C and the track temperature was 25°C. The clouds have given way to the sun, and the track is now dry.

The objective of the third session this morning is to climb among the 14 fastest in free practice to go directly to Q2. With the track dry for the first time this weekend for the category, the times will go down, the cards are completely reshuffled. Sergio Garcia (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #11) and Ryusei Yamanaka (KTM, MT Helmets – MSI, #6) are the first to enter the dance, as soon as the green flag is waved, and are quickly joined by all of their competitors. Unlike his teammate, Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28) takes his time and joins the TT Assen route last.

The first reference of the morning is signed by David Munoz (KTM, BOE SKX, #44), as comfortable in the wet as in the dry, in 1'43.149. He is ahead Deniz Oncu (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53) and Diogo Moreira (KTM, MT Helmets – MSI, #10). The gaps are significant, 4th is relegated to more than a full second, it will take a few laps for the riders in the Moto3 category to regain their bearings in the dry, but the riders are already riding faster than on Friday. .

Joshua Whatley (Honda, VisionTrack Racing Team, #70) crashed at turn 8. Meanwhile, Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28) is getting a little hot…

The times are improving and the Top14 is evolving with each pass in front of the timing cell. After 10 minutes on the track, Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28) takes control at Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, Leopard Racing, #24) in 1'42.265. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max, #71) is 3rd, David Munoz (KTM, BOE SKX, #44) remains in the Top10, finishing 8th. There are 30 minutes left, the positions are far from being fixed, the last 10 minutes will be crucial.

Adrian Fernandez (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #31) fell at turn 5 and remained at the side of the track for a few moments before getting up. The drivers are already hot because we are seeing some contact on the track.

Shortly before mid-session, the drivers returned to the pits to adapt the settings of their machines to the track conditions, which were much milder than yesterday. Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, Leopard Racing, #24) regained the lead, in 1'42.049, ahead Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max, #71) and Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28). Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7), much more comfortable in the dry, moved up to 4th position.

Deniz Oncu (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53) is back in the Top14, but it feels like we are already in the race to fight for the podium!

Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) puts his name at the top of the timesheet, passing his teammate Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, Leopard Racing, #24), in 1'42.037, with barely more than 10 minutes remaining. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max, #71) remains in 3rd position. The first 17 drivers are within the same second, the ranking is very close.

Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) is the first to go under 1'42, with a 1'41.820.

Lorenzo Fellon (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #20), which was 7th, suffered a highside at turn 8 and was narrowly avoided by Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max, #71), who passes through the grass to avoid the French driver.

With only 8 minutes remaining before the checkered flag, the vast majority of drivers return to the pits to put on soft rubber and try to improve their time at the end of this session, over one or two flying laps. They return to the track with barely 4 minutes before the end of this FP3.

Andrea Migno (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #16) falls at turn 3, the session is over for him. He was 11th, he risks being knocked out of the Top14. During this time, the times are changing, 1 minute from the end of the session, Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max, #71) is the fastest, in 1'41.680, ahead Sergio Garcia (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #11) and David Muñoz (KTM, BOE SKX, #44). Elia Bartolini (KTM, QJMotor Avintia Racing Team, #23) fell in the last chicane, then it was the turn of Daniel Holgado (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #96) to join the list of drivers who fell, under yellow flag for his part, in the last chicane as well. As for Kaito Toba (KTM, CIP-Green Power, #27), he fell at turn 5.

At the end of this eventful FP3, Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) regained the lead, but at the last moment, it was Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28) who posted a 1'41.526. The Italian driver finished second, surrounded by the 2 GasGas, Sergio Garcia (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #11) being 3rd. David Muñoz (KTM, BOE SKX, #44) proves that he appreciates this track, finishing 4th. Despite his fall, the time of Lorenzo Fellon (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #20) allows him to be 11th and move up to Q2.

FP3 results from the Moto3 Dutch Grand Prix at TT Assen:

Credit Ranking: MotoGP.com