Mugello, Moto3, FP3: Buongiorno Niccolo!

With a “lost” session due to a wet track yesterday morning, but an immaculate sky this morning, the objective would be to be in the 1'57.7 to be able to claim pole this afternoon.

So far, drivers from two teams have been at the forefront in Tuscany; those of the Honda Asia team, of course, with the best times obtained yesterday morning and yesterday afternoon, but also the official Mahindras of the Aspar team, visibly at ease on this circuit,

The temperatures are respectively 16° in the air and 17° on the track when the Moto3s make their single cylinders resonate between the hills of Mugello.

FP2 2016: 1'58.489 by Hiroki Ono
FP3 2015: 1'57.407 by Fabio Quartararo
Track record: 1'56.615 by Danny Kent in 2015

Le first run is marked by the quite violent fall of Brad Binder, championship leader, at turn #14: the rider is ejected by a kick from his KTM while the latter does not fall!
In the paddock, it is believed that the Austrian motorcycles are stiffer than the Japanese competitors and sometimes cause violent reactions. We have just experienced an example…
The first run is dominated by Francesco Bagnaia and his Mahindra, 2 tenths ahead of Locatelli, Bulega, Canet, Martin, and Migno.
French speakers are then grouped between 17th and 21st places.

Le second run see thearrival of Niccolo Antonelli at the front while Brad Binder leaves the circuit medical center, visibly in a hurry to get back on his bike. But it seems very damaged and unlikely to be repaired before the end of the session.
Fabio Quartararo is then 3rd while Andrea Migno falls at turn #6, losing the front.
Enea Bastianini then took the lead in 1'58.629 but we noticed the good performance of his Rookie teammate, Fabio Di Giannanto (Bastianini's aspi?).
Great performance also from Lorenzo Dalla Porta replacing Phillip Öttl.

Le last run sees another fall from Adam Norrodin which this time leaves the Malaysian driver a little stunned at turn #6 after a big highside.
Romano Fenati takes the lead (1'57.955) and, at this moment, only Quartararo and Ono are not Italians in the Top 10.

The final package, however, sees a rebalancing of the forces involved, with the return of a Spanish quartet, Guevara, Rodrigo and Canet.

Finally, Niccolo Antonelli, pole sitter at Le Mans, will manage to save national honor (1'57.769) but there are only 3 Italians left in the Top 10.

Quartararo finished in 13th position, Jules Danilo in 17th and Alexis Masbou in 24th.

1. Niccolo Antonelli ITA Ongetta-Rivacold (Honda) 1m 57.789s
2. gabriel rodrigo ARG RBA Racing Team (KTM) 1m 57.821s
3. Roman Fenati ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 1m 57.918s
4. Juanfran Guevara SPA RBA Racing Team (KTM) 1m 57.955s
5. Francis Bagnaia ITA ASPAR Mahindra Team Moto3 (Mahindra) 1m 57.960s
6. Hiroki Ono JPN Honda Team Asia (Honda) 1m 57.966s
7. Jorge Navarro SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 1m 58.052s
8. Aron canet SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 1m 58.141s
9. Jakub Kornfeil CZE Drive M7 SIC Racing Team (Honda) 1m 58.154s
10. George Martin SPA ASPAR Mahindra Team Moto3 (Mahindra) 1m 58.241s
11. Fabio DiGiannantonio ITA Gresini Racing Moto3 (Honda) 1m 58.372s
12. Lorenzo Dalla Porta ITA Schedl GP Racing (KTM) 1m 58.376s
13. fabio quartararo FRA Leopard Racing (KTM) 1m 58.528s
14. Khairul Idham Pawi MAL Honda Team Asia (Honda) 1m 58.573s
15. Nicholas Bulega ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 1m 58.584s
16. Enea Bastianini ITA Gresini Racing Moto3 (Honda) 1m 58.629s
17. Jules Danilo FRA Ongetta-Rivacold (Honda) 1m 58.835s
18. Joan mir SPA Leopard Racing (KTM) 1m 58.938s
19. Andrea Migno ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 1m 58.939s
20. Andrea Locatelli ITA Leopard Racing (KTM) 1m 58.988s
21. Will Bendsneyder NED Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 59.093s
22. Karel Hanika CZE Platinum Bay Real Estate (Mahindra) 1m 59.144s
23. Livio Law BEL RW Racing GP BV (Honda) 1m 59.261s
24. Alexis Masbou FRA Peugeot MC Saxoprint (Peugeot) 1m 59.290s
25. Maria Herrera SPA MH6 Team (KTM) 1m 59.322s
26. Tatsuki suzuki JPN CIP-Unicom Starker (Mahindra) 1m 59.378s
27. Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 59.416s
28. Stefano Valtulini ITA 3570 Team Italia (Mahindra) 1m 59.425s
29. John mcphee GBR Peugeot MC Saxoprint (Peugeot) 1m 59.434s
30. Adam Norrodin MAL Drive M7 SIC Racing Team (Honda) 2m 0.067s
31. Darryn binder RSA Platinum Bay Real Estate (Mahindra) 2m 0.082s
32. Lorenzo Petrarca ITA 3570 Team Italia (Mahindra) 2m 0.155s
33. Fabio Spiranelli ITA CIP-Unicom Starker (Mahindra) 2m 0.390s