Moto3 Qatar 2 FP1: Masia impresses

It is with Jaume Masia at the head of the championship that Moto3 presents itself in a Doha Grand Prix which will be its second round of the season. Double satisfaction for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team since second overall is none other than second rider Pedro Acosta. The latter offers already impressive performances, so much so that we forget that he is a 16-year-old rookie...

Since we are talking about rookies, we will also note the good behavior ofIzan Guevara who puts gas on the GAS GAS while the enthusiasm of Xavier Artigas, the new Leopard driver, was responsible for a collision during the last race. Which will earn him two “long lap penalties” this Sunday.

Darryn binder will be keen to gain a few more places on the podium but there will also be drivers who will have to take their revenge. It is thus John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), widely anticipated, but alsoAndrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Jeremy Alcove (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3), mowed down by Artigas previously cited.

Finally, some will want to confirm. This is the case of Tatsuki suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) who, having missed these tests due to Covid and having started last, managed last Sunday to reach the finish line in eighth place, just ahead Kaito Toba (CIP – Green Power) and Jason dupasquier (CarXpert Pruestel GP), author of his very first Top 10 in one year. Without forgetting Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) and Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3), who were in ambush… In short, a great spectacle in sight!

What will this FP1 give us? Doha Grand Prix on the route losail ? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Qatar 1 Moto3™	2021-GP1	2021-GP2
FP1	2'05.809 Pedro Acosta	2'05.360 Jaume Masia
FP2	2'04.839 Kaito Toba
FP3	2'05.064 Sergio Garcia
Q1	2'04.834 Darryn Binder
Q2	2'04.075 Darryn Binder
Warm Up	2'07.001 Darryn Binder
Course	Masia, Acosta, Binder
All time lap record	2'04.075 Darryn Binder 2021

40° in the air and 45° on the track with a light wind are the conditions offered to pilots.

In 2'07.137, Sergio Garcia signs the first reference. farmhouse answers him for 90 thousandths less. But the pilot GASGAS responds in 2'06.956. A game enjoyed by the Red Bull KTM rider and championship leader who, after ten minutes, sets the bar at 2'06.944.

A duel ended by the rookie Guevara which signs a 2'06.905. It's only 39 thousandths less but 17 drivers are in the same second... The top 5, with Guevera, Masia, Garcia, Migno et Foggia is all the same in a tenth, the sixth Acosta then making four tenths. In these hot conditions, the French Lorenzo Fellon is 12th at mid-session.

We enter the last quarter of an hour and the hierarchy remains frozen. Darryn binder is still only 17th.

farmhouse marks the opening of the last timed hunt with a 2'06.611. In the peloton, the Tech3 pilot Oncü is eighth and Acosta closes the top 10. Lorenzo Fellon slips sixteenth. Eight minutes from time, the majority of the field returned to the box to put on new tires. It is in these conditions that the last five minutes will be played. We expect better McPhee, sad 21st. His teammate Darryn Binder is barely better: 19th.

The drivers return to the track with their new tires and Tuff ranks second at 64 thousandths behind farmhouse. It will be noted that Guevara et Garcia remained on the track and are still running on worn tires. They remain third and fourth. But the last minute has begun...

McPhee slams a 2'06.215 but farmhouse did much better in 2'05.360. Foggia follows, Salac closes the leading trio McPhee. Izdihar is in the top 5. Kunii, Artigas, Toba, Fenati et Guevara make up the top 10. Lorenzo Fellon is 22nd. Acosta is 20th. Darryn Binder is 13th.

Moto3 Qatar 2 FP1: times

Classification credit: MotoGP.com