Moto3 Japan Qualifying: But who can stop Jaume Masiá?

It's time for Moto3 qualifying in Japan! At the end of the suspense, it was Jaume Masiá who took pole position. This Japanese Grand Prix promises to be grandiose. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3), previously the wide leader in the category, saw his lead melt away like snow in the sun. He is now tied for first with Jaume Masiá (Honda Leopard Racing), and only a small point ahead of Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP). Behind, the ranks are close since it is one of the most compact top 10 ever seen in the history of Grands Prix! With the brilliant rookie David Alonso (Gaviota GasGas Aspar Team), the valiant Iván Ortolá (KTM Angeluss MTA Team) and many others, the spectacle is total. To catch all the action from FP3, click here.

Even if you know the result of this qualifying session, come and relive it with us! Before we begin, here is a table which summarizes the known facts:

Motegi Moto3™	2022	2023
FP1	1'57.252 Diogo Moreira	1'57.260 Diogo Moreira
FP2	2'09.684 Denis Foggia	1'57.068 Jaume Masia
FP3	CANCELLATIONDUE TO RAIN	1'56.148 Jaume Masia
Q1	2'11.779 Scott Ogden	1'57.161 Riccardo Rossi
Q2	2'11.246S Tatsuki Suzuki	1'56.331 Jaume Masia
Warm up	1:57.860 Ayumu Sasaki
Course	Guevara, Foggia, Sasaki (See here)
All time lap record	1'56.443 Hiroki Ono (2016)	1'56.148 Jaume Masia

 

Let's go for this session which promises to be exciting. For now, the track is dry but it might not last.

 

 

Quickly, the local Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) takes the advantage while the rookie Philip Farioli (Red Bull KTM Ajo) finds the gravel. The two pilots CFMoto Prüstel GP Racing Joel Kelso et Xavier Artigas are also there.

 

 

Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), the sensational rookie, is experiencing many difficulties this weekend. He manages, depending on the laps of others, to climb into the top 4 but nothing is less certain. A few minutes from the end, Riccardo rossi (Honda Sic58 Squadra Corsica) achieves the best mark.

In fact, the four qualified for Q2 are Riccardo rossi, Joel Kelso, Taiyo Furusato et Jose Antonio Rueda, who also failed during his last attempt, fortunately without seriousness.

 

 

Moto1 Q3 results at the 3 Moto2023 Japanese Grand Prix:

 

 

Let's now move on to the race for pole, which promises to be particularly tasty. And it's still not raining. During the first salvo, it is the Italian Matteo Bertelle (Honda Snipers Team) who achieves the best mark, but nothing is decided yet. Namely that Diogo Moreira (KTM MT Helmets MSi) and Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) received three place penalties for irresponsible behavior on the track.

 

 

Things get out of control quickly. James Masia achieves an absolutely fantastic time in 1'56.744, while Riccardo rossi falls heavily! Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Garlic) is not far in the rankings, the qualifier remains open. The Honda Leopard Racing driver stunned the category with this time.

 

 

The two drivers then wait for the Turk to stop! Jaume knows that he must not get sucked in if he wants to keep his pole. Ayumu Sasaki, the “crazy boy”, has a turn to make history. But in the end, no one can fetch Jaume Masia in 1'56.331! For the third time in a row, he is on pole. It is followed byDeniz Oncuand Matteo Bertelle. Daniel Holgado will start from sixth place.

 

Classification credit: MotoGP.com

Cover photo: Honda Leopard Racing