Moto3 Qatar 1 FP2: Toba out loud

Moto3 opened the hostilities of the Qatar Grand Prix and, at the same time, those of the 2021 season. A first test session where the protagonists showed caution on a track still to be cleaned and erased. So many questions that a beginner of the caliber of Pedro Acosta does not ask himself, who has therefore established himself as the first leader of the year...

Author of a tour in 2'05.809 established at the very end of the financial year, the Spaniard was thus ahead Darryn Binder, new to Petronas Sprinta Racing, for the equivalent of 89 thousandths. The two men stood out clearly, since Ryusei Yamanaka of the CarXpert Pruestel GP team, credited with the third time, was already almost four tenths behind.

James Masia follows in its new Red Bull KTM Ajo colors with John mcphee still at Petronas Sprinta Racing in his wake. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) finished behind them while Jason dupasquier (CarXpert Pruestel GP) ranked seventh. Kaito Toba (CIP – Green Power), Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) and Izan Guevara (GasGas Gaviota Aspar) completed the Top 10.

What will this second and final salvo have in store for us this Friday in Losail? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Qatar 1 Moto3™	2020	2021
FP1	2'05.407 Sergio Garcia	2'05.809 Pedro Acosta
FP2	2'04.577 Raul Fernandez	2'04.839 Kaito Toba
FP3	2'05.465 Raul Fernandez
Q1	2'05.254 Gabriel Rodrigo
Q2	2'04.815 Tatsuki Suzuki
Warm Up	2'05.701 Raul Fernandez
Course	Arenas, McPhee, Ogura
All time lap record	2'04.561 Aron Canet 2019

25.5° in the air are offered to pilots who set out for 40 minutes of exercise under the spotlights. Because night has fallen on the Losail track. You will have to be among the first 14 to have your provisional ticket to Q2 tomorrow, Saturday.

The first reference is signed by Antonelli in 2'06.214 ahead Guevara et Sasaki. The leader of FP1 Bedroom gets a scare...

Rodrigo accelerates in 2'05.730 in front Foggia and the two men therefore push back Antonelli in third place. Foggia takes out his claws on his Honda Leopard in 2'05.297. Migno et Acosta, decidedly in spirit are in pursuit while Sergio Garcia et Tuff keep Masia out of the top 5.

A quarter of an hour from the goal, Carlo Tatay comes fourth. fellon is 24th. Darryn binder is currently the last to get into the car heading directly to Q2 since he is 14th. Antonelli is the first to clock in for Q1. For the moment, we remain in the 2'05 zone. 19 pilots stand in a second...

Ten minutes from time, farmhouse announces the hunt for the time with his 2'04.881. He is four tenths ahead of Foggia. Acosta his young 16-year-old teammate is third. The team Gresini, meanwhile shows its new colors.

The last five minutes have begun. Dupasquier climbs to second with a time of 2'04. McPhee et Antonelli follow, leaving it to Garcia to close the top 5. Foggia is now only sixth. But things are changing quickly. Rodrigo comes close to 26 thousandths of farmhouse with Garcia in its wake.

The final seconds turn into a free-for-all. Tuff takes the lead in 2'04.839. Guevara fall. Under the checkered flag, Tuff keep your advantage ahead farmhouse, Rodrigo, Garcia et Dupasquier. Antonelli leads the rest of the peloton. Darryn Binder misses the top 14 just behind Bedroom, as indeed fenati. Lorenzo Fellon is last.

In the end, a great introduction from Alain Bronec's CIP-Green Power team which shows the performances of Darryn binder last year were also based on a high-performance team…

Moto3 Qatar 1 FP2: times

Classification credit: MotoGP.com