Moto3 Silverstone FP1: Romano Fenati imposes his supremacy

Author of a fourth place during the last Grand Prix which took place two weeks ago on the Red Bull Ring track, the leader of the World Championship Pedro Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) will be keen to rectify the situation this weekend at Silverstone. His closest pursuer, Sergio Garcia (GasGas, Aspar Team Moto3, #11) is on excellent momentum after his victory in Austria, reducing his gap to 41 points on his compatriot. The Spaniard will try at Silverstone to reduce his gap a little further on Pedro Acosta.

After a remarkable race at the Red Bull Ring, concluded with a podium finish in the final moments, Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) is only five lengths behind his compatriot Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #55), who finished fifth in Austria. The fight promises to be interesting between the two men.

Deprived of a Top 3 at the very end of the Styrian Grand Prix and author of an error on the last lap, Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) is determined to catch up. In the general classification, the Valencian driver is only 12 points behind Roman Fenati, but already 101 points behind Pedro Acosta.

Ayumu Sasaki (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #71), seventh in the general classification, has not digested his fall caused by Darryn binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40), very aggressive in Austria. This contact is all the more important as the South African is just ahead of the Japanese in the general ranking. The time for revenge has therefore come.

Behind, Niccolo Antonelli (KTM, Reale Avintia, #23), Kaito Toba (KTM, CIP-Green Power, #27) and Jeremy Alcove (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #52), all three discreet during the last meeting, complete the Top 10 of the general classification, of which Gabriel Rodrigo (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #2) is ejected. Deniz Oncu (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53), very convincing in recent weeks and coming within 27 thousandths of his first victory during the Austrian GP, ​​may be the good surprise of this weekend.

What will this first practice session for the British Grand Prix have in store for us? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Silverstone Moto3™	2019	2021
FP1	2'12.008 Tony Arbolino	2'12.196 Romano Fenati
FP2	2'12.224 Albert Arenas
FP3	2'11.844 Tony Arbolino
Q1	2'12.647 Kaito Toba
Q2	2'11.631 Tony Arbolino
Warm Up	2'12.399 Arón Canet
Course	Ramirez, Arbolino, Dalla Porta
All time lap record	2'11.631 Tony Arbolino (2019)

On this Friday morning, the air temperature was 13°C and that of the track 17°C, under the clouds at Silverstone.

Kaito Toba (KTM, CIP-Green Power, #27) announces that it will be in the same structure for the 2022 season.

The riders set off quickly to regain their bearings on this circuit which has not seen the MotoGP paddock for 2 seasons, the 2 GASGAS in the lead.

Deniz Oncu (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53) uses the solid rear wheel, which we have already seen on the Austrian track 2 weeks ago. The first time is for the benefit of Sergio Garcia (GasGas, Aspar Team Moto3, #11), in 2'17.908, quickly overtaken by Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #55) which achieved a 2'15.726 and relegated the GASGAS driver to 8th position.

Peter Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) and Maximilian Kofler (KTM, CIP-Green Power, #73) saw their first time canceled for having exceeded the limits of the track.

From the second round, Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #55) improves with a 2'14.582. He is ahead Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) and Darryn binder (KTM, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #40). Lorenzo Fellon (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #20) is 9th, 1.892s behind the provisional leader.

The Italian driver improved again in 2'14.176, then in 2'13.652. He seems in good shape on the British track, having been leader since the first timed pass and the first driver to pass the 2'14 mark.

gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #2) gets a little hot but stays on his wheels, just like Sergio Garcia (GasGas, Aspar Team Moto3, #11) who majestically catches up twice. The drivers are looking for the limit from FP1.

Just before the halfway point of the session, the local driver John McPhee (Honda, Petronas Sprinta Racing, #17) fell at turn 12, suffered a violent highside and took a little time to get up but got back on his feet.

Halfway through the session, Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #55) still leads the debates, with a 2'13.652, ahead Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) and Ayumu Sasaki (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #71). Only the first 6 drivers are within 1 second this morning, but the top 20 are within 2 seconds.

After a trip to the pits mid-session to modify the set-up of their machines, the drivers returned to the track for the last quarter of an hour of this FP1. Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #55) imposes its supremacy and further improves its time, completing the Silverstone circuit in 2'12.629. He then gets ahead of his closest pursuer, Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7), by 1.181 seconds. Peter Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) is 6th, 1.919s behind the leader.

10 minutes from the presentation of the checkered flag, Lorenzo Fellon (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #20) in turn fell at turn 12. He was then 24th in the session, with a time of 2'15.714.

While there are 5 minutes left before the end of the session, Romano Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #55) improves his time almost every lap, and leads in 2'12.321, ahead Jeremy Alcove (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #52) and Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5). The Italian relegates his pursuers to more than a full second!

Ayumu Sasaki (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #71) stalls a bit at turn 8, then Stefano Nepa (KTM, BOE Owlride, #82) falls at turn 18 and Deniz Öncü (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53) at turn 17. Meanwhile, Jeremy Alcove (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #52) and gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #2) work together to take advantage of the slipstream.

The times improve in the last 3 minutes, and at the end of this first round of the Battle of Britain, Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team, #55) remains in the lead in 2'12.196, ahead Jeremy Alcove (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #52) and gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Team Gresini Moto3, #2). Peter Acosta (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #37) is in 5th, 0.882s behind the leader.

Moto1 British Grand Prix FP3 results:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com