Ducati were on form as FP3 fired up in the closing stages of Saturday morning’s session as Pecco Bagnaia set a perfect lap around his home Misano Circuit.
The Lenovo rider headed the times thanks to a 1’31.936 from Fabio Quartararo and fellow red rider Jack Miller. Johann Zarco, Jorge Martin and Michele Pirro completed the promotion set for the Bologna factory as all five riders secured top 10 positions.
Saturday morning got off to a delayed start due to multiple red flags in the opening Moto3 session. Takaaki Nakagami taking the initial lead as the opening laps registered from Joan Mir and Aleix Espargaro before Ducati’s Bagnaia and Pirro advanced the times.
Iker Lecuona continued his strong performance after an impressive Friday showing, with a 1’33.368 after five minutes on track, the Tech3 KTM sitting a mere 0.014s ahead of the Ducati men until they both hit back, Quartararo joining them, for third.
Aprilia continued to shine as Espargaro hit the front moments later, the Catalan less than two-tenths away from his teammate’s Friday best, with Maverick Viñales still in charge overall. That was until Bagnaia’s fifth lap. The Italian setting a 1’32.489 to storm the times after 10 minutes of action.
Quartararo was up to speed behind him as the session continued, with Espargaro and Martin the only other riders running 1’32 pace so far with Mir on the bubble in fifth. Pirro headed Nakagami, Viñales, Miller and Pol Espargaro in the top 10 with Alex Rins’ Friday effort still enough for Q2 contention, for now.
Mir was the next to improve, to sit second, the Yamaha demoting him next time around as he fine-tuned his lap around the 4.2km layout with Miller advancing into the top five. Enea Bastianini entered the top nine at his home track with half an hour to go, his Avintia teammate circulating at the back of the pack, in 24th.
A slow start found Marc Marquez down in 21st as FP3 reached mid-distance, Stefan Bradl 0.031s ahead before the test rider promoted himself to 14th. Petronas riders Valentino Rossi and Andrea Dovizioso sat 16th and 23rd respectively with Franky Morbidelli continuing his 2021 M1 education in 20th.
Miller looked to be struggling with the local wildlife at the halfway stage after getting an insect caught in his eye out on track, Viñales seemingly unfazed by the conditions as he advanced the pace with a 1’32.200. Rossi suffering the first crash of the session at turn 13 with 25 minutes to go.
Nakagami was the next to make moves, as the LCR entered the top five, Zarco following suit for sixth moments later. Bradl suffering a small tip off at turn 14.
Morbidelli seemed to be back at the sharp end as the final third got going, finding fifth with a 1’32.644 as his Monster Yamaha teammate took over at the top thanks to a 1’31.975.
Miguel Oliveira was the next to crash as the final 10 minutes began, Nakagami returning to the front, in fourth with his 15th effort.
The pace continued to heat up as the session would down, Mir claiming second, just 0.16s off the title leader with Viñales holding third. Miller, Bagnaia and Martin came in quick succession for fourth to sixth with only Nakagami interrupting the Ducati train from Zarco in eighth.
Late pace moved Marquez narrowly into the top 10 as Pirro joined the Ducati party, in seventh, and Bagnaia hit the top, three-hundredths clear. Morbidelli circulated just adrift of the promotion zone with Alex Marquez and Bradl for company, a disappointed Espargaro just six-tenths behind his Aprilia partner but sitting 15th with three minutes to go.
The Ducati charge continued as Miller found third, Marquez down and out at turn 14 as he vied for Q2 entry, now from 12th.
Espargaro secured both Aprilias into Q2 with his 15th lap of the morning, taking seventh in the final minute before advancing again one position higher next time around. Opposing fortunes facing the factory KTMs in 17th and 22nd with Lecuona, likewise crashing out on his final attempt.
Nakagami had his last hot lap cancelled due to the flying yellow flags demoting the LCR down to 12th with Espargaro securing the only Honda into Q2, in ninth. While Rins joined Mir in the top 10, with the seventh fastest time.
