While the world title has already been awarded to David Alonso (CFMoto Aspar Team), the Moto3 season continues with P2 on the Malaysian side. The Colombian, on a series of five consecutive victories, seems absolutely untouchable lately. Of course, he must always be wary of adversity, but this season, there is him and the others. Moreover, he was the fastest man on track during the P1 race held yesterday afternoon local time.. Some would like to take advantage of a small mistake by the champion, starting with Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GasGas Tech3) and Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), still battling for second place overall. Rookie Luca Lunetta (Honda Sic58 Squadra Corse), second in Thailand, would also like to have his share of the cake. It was necessary to keep an eye on the other rookie Angel Piqueras (Honda Leopard Racing) already winner this season and first in the FP held on the drying.
Even if you already know the outcome of this session, come relive it with us! Before starting, here is a table which summarizes the known facts :
|
Moto3™ Malaysia, Sepang |
2023 |
2024 |
| FP | 2'12.065 Jaume Masia | 2'23.835 Angel Piqueras |
| P1 | 2'12.518 Taiyo Furusato | 2'11.241 David Alonso |
| P2 | 2'11.139 Daniel Holgado | 2'10:102 Adrian Fernandez |
| Q1 | 2'12.350 Collin Veijer | |
| Q2 | 2'10.846 Jaume Masia | |
| Course | Veijer, Sasaki, Masia (See here) | |
| All time lap record | 2'10.846 Jaume Masia 2023 |
After a discreet appearance in P1, Angel Piqueras, the fastest rider in the FP, is back in the game. The #36 quickly sets a time of 2:10.284, and thus sets the lap record for a Moto3 rider in Sepang.
This lap time, set during the first minutes of P2's running, already sets the tone. Piqueras thus erases Jaume Masia's reference time of 2:10.846 last year. He is not the only driver to reach this milestone, since once everyone's first times have been set, the top-8, completed by Tatsuki Suzuki in 2:10.761, is already moving under the 2023 record.
In the second part of the session, however, the sky became overcast, and the track conditions were less conducive to improvements. Few drivers managed to do so during each of their second attempts.
The white flag with a red cross is waved around each section of the Sepang circuit, to confirm the arrival of the raindrops. This does not prevent Adrian Fernandez from improving during his final effort, to set a new best lap time of 2:10.102.
The rain has arrived!
Light spots for now, fingers crossed it doesn't get any heavier! 🤞#MalaysianGP 🇲🇾 pic.twitter.com/RUpYSisprn
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) November 2, 2024
With only one able to get ahead of his teammate, Adrian Fernandez crossed the checkered flag leading a Leopard Racing double. Ivan Ortola completed the top three.
All the strong men of this championship managed to lock a place in the top-10 at the end of this P2, with the exception of one of them. David Alonso narrowly escaped Q1, since he claimed the fourteenth time of the session. He avoided the first part of the qualifying session by 49 thousandths in Malaysia.
Moto2 P3 result at the 2024 Malaysian Grand Prix:
Classification credit: MotoGP.com
