Leopard’s Dennis Foggia maintained his Moto3 dominance as practice for the San Marino GP got underway at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
The Italian topped both morning and afternoon sessions on Friday, with his overall best lap of 1’42.009 over three-tenths clear of Pedro Acosta by the close of play. Romano Fenati sat third with John McPhee making a late arrival in seventh, on his return from Moto2, as the day concluded.
The Rimini di Riviera round fired up with the Moto3 class on Friday morning as Acosta looked to put right the mistakes of MotorLand. Bardahl VR46 Riders Academy, headed by Pecco Bagnaia’s father, Pietro, fielded a double wildcard as Elia Bartolini and Matteo Bertelle returned to world championship action after the local team’s debut in Mugello.
Deniz Öncü was the first rider to crash out at turn one, as the initial times began to come in, Darryn Binder heading the early times from Filip Salac, last weekend’s victor, Foggia and Ryusei Yamanaka.
Salac took charge with a 1’43.612 as the session evened out, Foggia maintaining his promising early form with Andrea Migno joining the top three. Fenati, Binder and Niccolò Antonelli close behind.
The Aragón winner was back in front at the halfway stage, Foggia leading Salac and Antonelli before the latter looked to shine at home, the Avintia VR46 Academy rider promoting himself to the top of a times with a 1’43.488 on his 12th lap.
Rookie Izan Guevara rose up the standings as the final 10 minutes got underway, Jaume Masia returning to the top five before Carlos Tatay stole the position. Fenati was the next to advance the times and the first to set a 1’42, seven-tenths quicker than the next best effort, with a 1’42.674 before the Italian continued to improve next time around.
Local knowledge was proving fruitful for Bertelle too, as the wildcard sat fifth with four minutes to go. Gabriel Rodrigo and Sergio Garcia joining the fun in fourth and seventh respectively before Tatsuki Suzuki arrived to demote the Gresini.
Foggia took charge with his final lap of the morning’s 40 minutes, 1’42.009 the Friday target so far, with Fenati into second, three-tenths back. Antonelli and Migno completed an all-Italian top four with Öncü sitting fifth. Suzuki the final rider to run under the 1’43 barrier, in sixth.
Acosta was immediately on the advance as the afternoon got underway, the KTM running an initial 1’44.023 pace on his first attempt before continuing to push as the session bedded in.
Fenati and Guevara were fast from the outset with the title leader and his Ajo teammate topping the times once again next time around. Antonelli and Garcia returned to the top six as the opening minutes played out, Salac doing likewise before Öncü took charge overall.
Binder was back on front running form as the opening 10 minutes completed, the Petronas rider sitting third and in the midst of the KTM’s before Fenati returned to head the standings with the first 1’42 of the second practice. The duo swapping positions one lap later as the South African took charge with a 1’42.850 - which put him sixth overall in the combined efforts.
The opening prowess was short-lived, however, as Binder took a high speed exit out of turn 16, a highside throwing him clear of the SRT machine at the final corner with the rider okay after direct checks at the medical centre.
Foggia returned to the front as the closing 15 minutes began, the Leopard rider running three-tenths off his morning best with the pack heading back to the pits ahead of the final assault.
Bertelle continued his impressive home showing by rising to second with eighth minutes to go, the Italian wildcard setting a 1’42.714 to sit him fifth overall in a bid for provisional Q2 qualification.
The final action allowed progress for Acosta as he claimed second with two minutes to go, Antonelli following suit in third with Fenati and Migno heading Bertelle and Binder in the top seven.
A late push from McPhee promoted the Scot to seventh in the session after a day spent reacquainting himself with his Moto3 bike after his Aragón adventure in Moto2. Salac and Masia completing the top 10 from Öncü and Guevara with FP1 efforts from Suzuki and Xavi Artigas enough to maintain their Q2 contention ahead of Saturday morning’s final showing.
