A frantic last dash saw Andrea Migno head the final Moto3 practice at Misano after two red flags delayed Saturday morning’s proceedings on the Adriatic Coast.
The Rivacold Snipers rider topped the times with a 1’41.680 in the dying seconds to beat session leader Dennis Foggia and championship leader Pedro Acosta. A late fall for John McPhee left the Scot heading for Q1 from 18th.
The sun had returned for Saturday morning as FP3 fired up for the Moto3 class. Romano Fenati taking the first excursion through the gravel trap, at turn eight, as the session began before Foggia once again headed the times. His Leopard teammate Xavi Artigas was next to strike, the rookie rumoured to be leaving the outfit in favour of PruestelGP for 2022.
Acosta split the battling pair as the session developed before Foggia advanced the pace to within half a second of Friday’s best, after just 10 minutes on track. Niccolò Antonelli headed the times moments later with a 1’42.291 as Deniz Öncü crashed out at the final corner, with an immense highside bringing out the reg flags. The Turk was confirmed to be conscious but requiring medical attention, hence the delay.
The session restarted with 30 minutes remaining on the clock, Foggia, Antonelli and wildcard rider Elia Bartolini in charge at the top, with Migno, Riccardo Rossi and the second impressive VR46 rookie Matteo Bartelle completing an all-Italian top six. Stefano Nepa joined the party, in fourth, 10 minutes later with Ayumu Sasaki, Artigas and Acosta completing the top 10.
The KTM’s were on the move as the closing 15 minutes began, Jaume Masia finding third as Acosta improved to sixth before the pack prepared for the final push.
Tatsuki’s final practice came to an abrupt end with 10 minutes to go after the SIC58 rider crashed out, Andi Izdihar able to return to the track after his turn 10 off shortly after.
Adrian Fernandez became the next faller at turn eight with five minutes to go, another major highside bringing out the yellow flags as the class attempted to register their flying laps, Darryn Binder and John McPhee both putting paid to their Q2 contention as both riders crashed out in the closing minutes, at turns five and eight respectively.
The red flags came out once again after another intense crash at turn 11 saw Yuki Kunii and Alberto Surra tangle. The Rivacold Snipers rider needing assistance in the middle of the vast gravel trap with the Italian conscious as he headed to the medical centre.
Two minutes and five seconds remained as FP3 restarted with the pack launching en masse from the end of pitlane as they vied to get round in time for one hot lap.
Migno headed the times as the session concluded, Foggia and Acosta completing the top three from Antonelli and Sergio Garcia and Masia. Fenati rose to seventh with his final effort ahead of an impressive recovery from Binder. Izan Guevara sat ninth from fellow rookie Artigas, Nepa, Bartolini Sasaki and Kaito Toba holding the final Q2 places. Bertelle and Rossi unlucky to miss out as they head into the Q1 battle.
