Valresa GasGas Aspar’s Sergio Garcia topped a soggy Moto3 final practice at Portimao as times remained down on Fridays best.
Garcia’s 2’03.866 was matched by teammate Izan Guevara, just 0.03s back, with Ayumu Sasaki and Scott Ogden challenging behind - one-tenth covering the top four.
The morning brought brightening skies over a saturated track as the final free practice rolled out for the lightweight class. VisionTrack Honda’s Scott Ogden leading the way in the initial times before Leopard’s Tatsuki Suzuki upped the pace.
The Brit was back out front with his fourth lap before Dennis Foggia and CIP Green Power’s Kaito Toba improved again, but Ogden’s confidence in the tricky conditions continued. 2’04.811 the number 19’s pace after ten minutes on track.
Red Bull KTM’s Jaume Masia was the next to take charge as the pace picked up, Guevara, Xavi Artigas and Foggia bettering before Ogden hit the top once again, with the first 2’03 of the morning. His teammate Josh Whatley one of only five riders to improve on his opening day’s time, to sit ninth in the session’s standings, a second adrift.
Guevara chased down the Brit as he took charge by a tenth. David Alonso suffering the first crash of the day at turn seven after Friday witnessed 24 falls across the two practice sessions.
Sterilgarda Husqvarna’s Ayumu Sasaki spilt the leading two with his tenth lap of the 40-minute session, Sergio Garcia joining the group on the second Aspar next time around as the pace remained over a second away from Friday’s best and the rain returned.
Sasaki succumbed to the deteriorating conditions as the final quarter of an hour began. The rear sliding round on the Husqvarna at turn 14 before the Japanese rider returned to the pits. Garcia narrowly heading the times out front with teammate Guevara joining him for second shortly after.
Turn one claimed Taiyo Furusato as the session wound down with Friday’s top 14 maintaining their promotion places ahead of the afternoon qualifying action.
