Marco Morelli led Moto3 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Morelli used his Pirelli-shod CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team KTM to lap the 2.98-mile (4.8 km) track in 1:55.280 to lead the field of 26 riders.
Home hero Ryusei Yamanaka was second-best with a time of 1:55.296 on his AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI KTM.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brian Uriarte claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:55.364 and his teammate Alvaro Carpe got fourth with a time of 1:55.393.
Valentin Perrone, piloting his Red Bull KTM Tech3 machine, finished the session fifth with a time of 1:55.412.
practice moto3
More, from a press release issued by MotoGP:
Morelli pips home star Yamanaka in tight Moto3 Practice at Motegi. The Argentinean left it late to guarantee himself a Q2 spot but did it in style to spoil a perfect Friday homecoming for the #6.
It was a dramatic Friday in Moto3 at Motegi with big names crashing in Practice, including Championship designate Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team). Leading the way was his teammate, Marco Morelli, who moved into Q2 with a final flying lap but in doing so, managed to top the timesheets.
Morelli needed a big lap as the session neared its conclusion and that’s exactly what he got, bringing his A-game right when he needed it. A 1’55.280 was enough for the #97 to top a session for the first time in his Moto3 career. Behind him, a strong start to his home round for Ryusei Yamanaka (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) whilst Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounded out the top three; teammate Alvaro Carpe was in P4 but needed a trip to the medical centre after a highside at Turn 8 and he was one of many names that crashed throughout a session of attrition.
Quiles was a faller at Turn 3 on his way to P6, as was David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), his coming at Turn 7. He went down at the same corner as teammate David Almansa did earlier in the session, the number #22 crashing three times across the course of the session. They were P7 and P10 respectively whilst other riders in the top ten included Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) in P5, Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) in P8 and Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP-MTA) in P9.
Big names to miss out on Q2 placings included Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) who had a huge highside at the final corner towards the end of Practice to go with his sizeable FP1 get off, as well as Scott Ogden (CIP GreenPower), who fell late on despite strong sector times.
