Moto3 Misano1 Qualifying: First pole position in Moto3 for Ai Ogura

Here is the table which refreshes our memory, before the start of these qualifications…

Misano1 Moto3™	2019	2020
FP1	1'42.824 Albert Arenas	1'42.501 Raul Fernandez
FP2	1'43.017 Albert Arenas	1'42.783 Tatsuki Suzuki
FP3	1'42.127 Gabriel Rodrigo	1'42.415 John McPhee
Q1	1'43.161 Niccolo Antonelli	1'42.511 Tony Arbolino
Q2	1'42.844 Tatsuki Suzuki	1'42.403 Ai Ogura
Warm Up	1'43.205 Kaito Toba
Course	Suzuki, McPhee, Arbolino
All time lap record	1'41.823 Jorge Martin 2018

 

At the start of Q1, the air temperature was 29°C and the track temperature was 39°C.

Only 4 of the 16 drivers participating in this Q1 will qualify for Q2, which will take place immediately afterwards.

Tony Arbolino (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team), who was on the podium of the last GP, is one of the favorites for these 15 minutes of qualifying session.

The first driver to try to secure his place in Q2 was Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), with a lap completed in 1'43.269. Tony Arbolino (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team), Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) and Niccolo Antonelli (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse) complete the provisional top 4, 5 minutes from the checkered flag.

You have to elbow your way through traffic to hope to achieve a good time.

3 minute from the end of Q1, Riccardo rossi (KTM, BOE Skull Rider Facile.Energy) takes 4th place, synonymous with provisional qualification in Q2, at the expense of Nicolò Antonelli (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse), but that was without counting on the last run of Ayumu Sasaki (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3) who improved his time to take 4th place in this Q1. Places are expensive to access Q2, the last timed lap promises to be lively!

At the end of Q1, and a very lively last lap, it was finally Tony Arbolino (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team) who achieved the best time, in 1'42.511, ahead of Roman Fenati and his teammate Alonso Lopez of the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team. Riccardo Rossi (KTM, BOE Skull Rider Facile.Energy) is the fourth rider to advance to Q2.

Darryn binder (KTM, CIP-Green Power), which finished 5th, is set for yet another fantastic comeback tomorrow in the race.

Now for Q2, the 4 fastest drivers from Q1 joining the other 14 fastest from the 3 practice sessions. The drivers took their time and waited in the pits before entering the track to seize this final chance to be well placed on the grid.

Many drivers completed only one lap before returning to the pits, in order to preserve their tires and their machines for what promises to be an exciting end to the session. Indeed, after 5 minutes of this Q2, no timed lap has been completed.

As is often the case this year, the track limits are closely monitored.

It is Ai Ogura (Honda, Honda Team Asia) which sets the reference time for this Q2 in 1'42.608. At the same time, John mcphee (Honda, Petronas Sprinta Racing) loses the front without seriousness at turn 4, and returns to the track immediately, the knife between his teeth. He who led FP3 wishes to confirm this afternoon in qualifying.

5 minutes from the checkered flag, we find Ai Ogura (Honda, Honda Team Asia) in front Gabriel Rodrigo (Honda, Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) and Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse).

The latter uses the suction ofAndrea Migno (KTM, Sky Racing Team VR46) and he took the provisional time in 1'42.414, 3 minutes from the checkerboard.

gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) takes the best time in the last seconds, but Ai Ogura (Honda, Honda Team Asia) completed a final legendary sector and achieved the first pole position of his career in Moto3.

He therefore advances gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) and Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse).

Ranking of the Q1 session of the San Marino Moto3 Grand Prix:

Ranking of the Q2 session of the San Marino Moto3 Grand Prix:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com