Moto3 Austin FP3: Dennis Foggia remains the fastest in a session interrupted by a red flag

The riders in the Moto3 category closed this first day, this Friday, and the riders needed time to improve their benchmark times achieved in FP1. Andrea Migno (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #16) gained the upper hand over his compatriot Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) during FP1. But on this Friday afternoon, the trend will have reversed, this time in favor of No. 7. The representative of the Leopard Racing team was actually able to complete a lap in 2'15.440 during his final attempt, to push his rival back almost four tenths. Daniel Holgado (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #96) grabbed four positions, so as to settle in the wake of the two Italians. The rookie was accompanied by his teammate Jaume Masià (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5).

Victim of mechanical problems during FP1, Deniz Öncü (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53), formerly 22nd, made a much more impressive jump in the standings, as evidenced by this fifth time. Kaito Toba (KTM, CIP-Green Power, #27) also made solid progress during the morning session, although its sixth place finish was the last within a second of the leader.

Carlos Tatay (CFMoto, CFMoto Racing PruestelGP, #99) started the afternoon with an impressive crash at turn 18 but after a leather change he was able to rejoin the action and secure seventh position. Tatsuki Suzuki (Honda, Leopard Racing, #24) also joined the list of crashes but only briefly, at the first corner, then took eighth place, whileIzan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28) and Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max, #71) close the top 10.

Sergio Garcia (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #11), Riccardo rossi (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #54), Matthew Bertelli (KTM, QJMotor Avintia Racing Team, #18) and Alberto Surra (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #67) provisionally qualified for QQ2, although the Snipers driver ended his session quite early, with a big crash at turn 11 and needing help to get off the track.

Our French Lorenzo Fellon (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #20) finished 22nd.

What will this FP3 have in store for us, the last session before qualifying in Austin? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Moto3™ Austin, Texas, USA	2021	2022
FP1	2'32.152 Niccolo Antonelli	2'16.241 Andrea Migno
FP2	2'17.280 Filip Salac	2'15.440 Dennis Foggia
FP3	2'16.357 Jaume Masia	2'15.797 Dennis Foggia
Q1	2'17.698 Lorenzo Fellon
Q2	2'15.986 Jaume Masia
Warm up	2'17.068 John McPhee
Course	Guevarra, Foggia, McPhee
All time lap record	2'14.644 Arón Canet 2017

At the end of the morning, it was 22°C in the air and 34°C on the track in Austin. The objective of the third session this morning is to climb among the 14 fastest in free practice to go directly to Q2. However, the pilots take their time before taking action.

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Riccardo rossi (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #54) fell at turn 2, before even completing a timed lap. At the end of the first pass in front of the timing cell, Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) is the fastest, in 2'17.937, ahead of Carlos Tatay (CFMoto, CFMoto Racing PruestelGP, #99) and Xavier Artigas (CFMoto, CFMoto Racing PruestelGP, #43).

With 30 minutes remaining before passing the checkered flag, Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) regained the advantage, in 2'17.251, ahead Carlos Tatay (CFMoto, CFMoto Racing PruestelGP, #99) and Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28). Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) is 4th in the session.

Deniz Oncu (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53) shows us his best hat.

On the opposite straight, an impressive crash involving Alberto Surra (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #67) causes his machine to end up in the middle of the track. He stuck with Ivan Ortola (KTM, Team MTA, #48), which sent him into the background. The red flag is shown, time to evacuate his machine and medicalize the Italian driver, who seems to have difficulty getting up, but is conscious.

The session resumes once the Italian driver has been evacuated. Deniz Oncu (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53) is the first to return to the track, with a little over 26 minutes remaining in this FP3. The other drivers observe each other in the pits to find a good wheel to set a time on.

Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, Leopard Racing, #24) fell during his start-up lap, at turn 7. Also, mid-session, Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28) took the lead again, in 2'16.570, ahead Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) and Carlos Tatay (CFMoto, CFMoto Racing PruestelGP, #99).

15 minutes from the end of this FP3, many drivers returned to the pits to fine-tune the settings. Andrea Migno (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #16) is one of the drivers who remains on the track, and he takes the lead in the standings, in 2'16.269.

There are already only 10 minutes left to try to get into Q2, Andrea Migno (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #16) remains leader of the standings, ahead Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) and Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28). The drivers are in the pits, to put on soft tires and set off for the last run.

The incident which took place between Alberto Surra (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #67) and Ivan Ortola (KTM, Team MTA, #48) is under investigation.

Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) is the first to improve, in 2'16.259, which allows him to move up to 4th in the cumulative ranking. This is the first improvement in the top 14. Many drivers are still in the pits, they will start 4 minutes from the end of the session.

Following the investigation by the Race Direction, Alberto Surra (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #67) and Ivan Ortola (KTM, Team MTA, #48) will not be penalized.

At the end of this last practice session before qualifying, Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) remains dominant, in 2'15.797, ahead Jaume Masià (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) and Andrea Migno (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #16).

Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5), Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28), Diogo Moreira (KTM, MT Helmets – MSI, #10) and Joel Kelso (KTM, CIP-Green Power, #66) are the only drivers in the top 14 to improve, the last 2 managing to advance to Q2.

Results of FP3 of the Moto3 Grand Prix of the Americas at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin:

Cumulative results of the Moto3 Grand Prix of the Americas test sessions at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin:

Credit Ranking: MotoGP.com