Moto3 Spain FP2: Rodrigo at the top

The first battle of the day of this Spanish Moto3 Grand Prix, which took place in a relatively cool morning enveloping the Jerez track, put Niccolò Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) at the head of the hostilities. But we expect better from this last meeting that this FP2 will offer us with track conditions more conducive to chasing the time...

Author of a tour in 1'46.319, the Italian is ahead gabriel rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) by a tenth, while Jason dupasquier (CarXpert Pruestel GP) is credited with the third time. James Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) are in fourth and fifth place. They are followed by Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) is in seventh position.

Darryn binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing) complete the Top 10. Peter Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), current leader in the Championship, is content for the moment with 13th place. For our representative Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse), it is always complicated since we only find him in 25th position.

What will this FP2 have in store for us? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Jerez Moto3™	2020	2021
FP1	1'45.895 Raúl Fernández	1'46.319 Niccolo Antonelli
FP2	1'46.560 John McPhee	1'45.651 Gabriel Rodrigo
FP3	1'45.165 Andrea Migno
Q1	1'45.990 Ayumu Sasaki
Q2	1'45.410 Tatsuki Suzuki
Warm Up	1'46.517 Darryn Binder
Course	Suzuki, McPhee, Vietti
All time lap record	1'45.165 Andrea Migno 2020

The track is at 29° for the protagonists who will have 40 minutes to decide between themselves. We note that the clouds are gathering above the Jerez route.

Darryn binder entry crash at turn 2. Peter Acosta gets a scare at turn 4. This session begins with a bang. It is Suzuki which signs the first reference in 1'47.077. Then he improves to 1'46.600. It's eight tenths better than his runner-up, Rodrigo.

At turn 1, Antonelli, the morning leader, falls. He was sixth. kofler surprises by coming third at the end of the first quarter of an hour.

Migno et Rodrigo launch an offensive on the time of Suzuki but in vain. They position themselves just behind the Japanese but cannot reach the 1'46 zone. Peter Acosta is 22nd, just ahead Lorenzo Fellon.

We are approaching the last quarter of an hour and Rodrigo clocked a 1'45.651 which puts the former leader almost a second behind... Dupasquier, Adrian fernandez et Foggia follow. Salac leads the rest of the peloton.

Antonelli recovered from his fall at the start of the session as he moved into second but remained in the 1'46 zone. Ten minutes from the goal, everyone returns to the pits to put on new tires. It will be remembered that to hope to enter directly into Q2, you must be among the first 14.

This battle is launched in the last five minutes of the session. farmhouse et Acosta run together but don't seem to help each other. On the contrary, it looks like a fratricidal struggle... The young prodigy takes third place. But this remains very provisional. Everyone is on the attack. Sometimes too much like Suzuki who ruins all his chances by falling at turn 1. Tuff falls at turn 2.

Under the checkered flag, Rodrigo stay ahead Antonelli, Fenati, Dupasquier et Darryn Binder. Yamanaka leads the peloton in front Migno, Acosta, Oncu et Masia. Suzuki is 14th despite his fall. McPhee is currently in Q1 as Artigas. fellon is 25th.

Moto3 Spain FP2: times

Credit classification motogp.com