Moto3 Misano-2 Qualifying: Niccolo Antonelli Festival, from Q1 to pole, despite complicated track conditions

It was under the fog with a track still wet that FP3 of the Moto3 category began this Saturday morning, but that did not prevent the improvement of Friday's times quite early in the session, Alberto Surra (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #67) taking the lead from the start of the session, being faster than yesterday's best time. Even though the rain and fog intensified at the end of the session, the drivers continued to improve until the last second, and it was Xavier Artigas (Honda, Leopard Racing, #43) who took first place in the last flying lap, being three tenths of a second faster than Yukii Kuni (Honda, Honda Team Asia, #92). Alberto Surra (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #67), who had led the entire session, was demoted to third place, with Filip Salac (KTM, CarXpert PruestlGP, #12) and Ayumu Sasaki (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3 , #71) joining them in the top five.

After a disappointing Friday, Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) found speed in wet conditions to climb the rankings to 6th position, ahead of the rookie Adrian Fernández (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #31) and his rival for the title Pedro Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37). Stefano Nepa (KTM, BOE Owlride, #82) and Darryn binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40) complete the top 10, eight tenths from first place.

Are also qualified directly in Q2 Lorenzo Fellon (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #20), Izan Guevara (GasGas, Gaviota Aspar Team, #28), Andi Farid Izdihar (Honda, Honda Team Asia, #19) and the impressive replacement for Deniz Oncu within the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team, Daniel Holgado, leaving Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) and Andrea Migno (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #16) go through Q2, the Italian having failed to improve his benchmark from Friday and not having been helped by a fall during FP3.

Further down in the timesheets, Tatsuki Suzuki (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #24) finished 23rd after being forced to pit at the end of the session following a mechanical problem. John mcphee (Honda, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #17) was back on track after skipping Friday, but still finished ahead Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #55), which ranks 26th.

Who will be in pole position for this Emilia Romagna Grand Prix? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Misano-2 Moto3™	09/2021	10/2021
FP1	1'42.009 Dennis Foggia	1'52.529 Andrea Migno
FP2	1'42.333 Dennis Foggia	1'52.536 Pedro Acosta
FP3	1'41.680 Andrea Migno	1'51.428 Xavier Artiguas
Q1	1'42.697 Carlos Tatay	1'48.828 Niccolo Antonelli
Q2	1'41.756 Romano Fenati	1'48.563 Niccolo Antonelli
Warm Up	1'41.978 Romano Fenati
Course	Foggia, Antonelli, Migno
All time lap record	1'41.155 Celestino Vietti 2020

On this Saturday afternoon, the air temperature was 16°C and that of the track 16°C, still with a slight mist. It's not raining, but the air is very humid.

Places are expensive for Q2, because only 4 of the 16 drivers participating in this Q1 will qualify for this 2nd qualifying session, which will take place immediately afterwards. With these conditions, the trajectory is drying, but remains wet in places. Complicated track conditions, which do not frighten the riders in the Moto3 category, who quickly get into action.

After the first flying round, it is Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) who leads the dance, in 1'53.154, ahead of the impressive Mario Aji (Honda, Honda Team Asia, #64), Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #24) and Riccardo rossi (KTM, BOE Owlride, #54).

The timed sectors are getting busy and the drivers are quickly improving their times: Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) passes in front of the timed cell in 1'51.769, but it's Niccolo Antonelli (KTM, Reale Avintia, #23) who improves to 1'51.704 and regains the advantage.

Halfway through the session, Niccolo Antonelli (KTM, Reale Avintia, #23) fights with Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) and leads in 1'50.978, the second being relegated to 0.556s. Riccardo rossi (KTM, BOE Owlride, #54) and Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #55) would also be drafted.

The drying track allows drivers to significantly improve their times and push the limits… Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #24) fell at turn 4, he was 5th in the session, and will therefore not progress to Q2. Jeremy Alcove (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #52) loses the front at turn 15, but returns to the track to try to climb into the top 4.

At the end of this session, the drivers qualifying for Q2 are therefore Niccolo Antonelli (KTM, Reale Avintia, #23), who completed the Italian route in 1'48.828. He is ahead Riccardo rossi (KTM, BOE Owlride, #54), which is relegated to no less than 1.225s from the leader, then John McPhee (Honda, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #17) and Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5). 1.7s seconds separate the first 4. Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #55) is therefore the first eliminated and will not advance to Q2.

Now it's time for Q2, with the 4 fastest drivers from Q1 joining the other 14 fastest from the 3 practice sessions. The conditions are still just as cool…

Ayumu Sasaki (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #71) is the first to set off, which is not the case for the other riders, who still wait a handful of seconds before taking action.

At the end of the first flying lap, provisional pole position is held by Alberto Surra (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #67), in 1'51.766, in front Peter Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) and Stefano Nepa (KTM, BOE Owlride, #82). Given the times achieved in Q1, the drivers will improve to seek pole position. Nicolò Antonelli (KTM, Reale Avintia, #23) took the lead in 1'50.306, he who was already the only rider to pass the 1'51 mark during Q1.

He improved again in 1'49.256 and relegated his closest pursuer, Stefano Nepa (KTM, BOE Owlride, #82), at 1.882s!

5 minutes from the presentation of the checkered flag, Nicolò Antonelli (KTM, Reale Avintia, #23) is still the only rider to ride in 1'49, and close to 1'48. Stefano Nepa (KTM, BOE Owlride, #82) and Ayumu Sasaki (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #71) are relegated to 1.549s and 1.832s respectively. The Tech 3 driver falls and could lose his good position. Alberto Surra (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #67) was demoted to 10th position, because he overtook under a yellow flag.

Niccolo Antonelli (KTM, Reale Avintia, #23) continues his festival and drops to 1'48.563, which leaves him 1.240s ahead of Filip Salac (KTM, CarXpert PruestlGP, #12), the current second.

When the checkered flag is presented, it is logically Niccolo Antonelli (KTM, Reale Avintia, #23) who qualified in pole position, in 1'48.563, ahead of Filip Salac (KTM, CarXpert PruestlGP, #12) and Riccardo Rossi (KTM, BOE Owlride, #54).

Ranking of the Q1 session of the Emilia Romagna Moto3 Grand Prix:

Ranking of the Q2 session of the Emilia Romagna Moto3 Grand Prix:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com