Moto3, Austin P2: Ayumu Sasaki takes control

Diogo Moreira was the fastest during the first free practices of the Moto3 Grand Prix of the Americas, third round of the 2023 World Championship scheduled for Austin. The MT Helmets – MSI Team rider took the lead with his KTM with a time of 2'16.908, a time which allowed him to beat the Honda Leopard of Jaume Masia and the Husqvarna of the Team Intact GP of Ayumu Sasaki, respectively pushed back of 0.272s and 0,282s.

Fourth and fifth beats for KTM de Daniel Holgado (Tech 3) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull Ajo), followed by the Honda of Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard). The Top Ten is closed by Ivan Ortolà (KTM MTA), Jose Antonio Rueda (KTM Red Bull Ajo), david savior (KTM CIP) and Stefano Nepa (KTM MTA), the only Italian in the Top Ten.

Roman Fenati (Honda Snipers), David Alonso (GASGAS Aspar), Xavier Artigas (CFMoto PruestelGP) and Ryusei Yamanaka (GASGAS Aspar) also provisionally qualified for provisional Q2.

What will this P2 have in store for us, which will also be an opportunity to discover the state of the Austin track, which was much criticized last year? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Moto3™ Austin, Texas, USA	2022	2023
P1	2'16.241 Andrea Migno	2'16.908 Diogo Moreira
P2	2'15.440 Dennis Foggia	2'16.306 Ayumu Sasaki
P3	2'15.797 Dennis Foggia
Q1	2'16.719 Xavier Artigas
Q2	2'15.814 Andrea Migno
Warm up	2'17.274 Izan Guevara	XXXXXXXXXXXX
Course	Masia, Foggia, Migno
All time lap record	2'14.644 Arón Canet 2017

It's 23.3° in the air and 27.9° on the track: the sky is threatening, rain is forecast

35min session

Munoz signs the reference time in 2.17.507s. Moreira, Maria, Sasaki and Toba complete this top5

Moreira makes a mistake in turn 11. Migno fall in turn in turn 12

Waving “rain” flag

Sasaki continues his effort which pays off, he takes the second best time in 2.17.612s

There are 16 minutes left in this session and the top5 consists of: Munoz, Sasaki, Nepa, Moreira and Holgado

kick of Wheel in turn 6

farmhouse takes control in 2.17.292s

There are 7 minutes left and all the drivers return to the track..

farmhouse remains the fastest in this session in 2.17.292s ahead Munoz, Sasaki, Nepa and Moreira.

Sasaki finishes first in 2.16.306s ahead of Masia, Ortola, Holgado and Toba

Results from P2 of the Moto3 Grand Prix of the Americas at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin:

Credit Ranking: MotoGP.com