Sandro Cortese – Photo Credit: MotoGP.com
KTM moved to the top of the timesheets in final practice for the inaugural Moto3 Grand Prix in Qatar with Sandro Cortese going quickest. The German took the fastest time from Romano Fenati in the dying seconds but was fortunate to escape an accident when he lost the front end of his motorcycle shortly afterwards.
After Maverick Vinales’ domination yesterday, the field closed up today with five different riders holding the quickest time at various stages. Luis Salom led the way with five minutes to go and despite an improvement from Vinales, remained at the front until Fenati’s flyer. The Italian rookie set a 2:08.376 but seconds later, Cortese edged ahead by 0.034s. The KTM rider followed that up by sliding off at turn two but amazingly held on to the motorcycle and regained control without crashing.
Fenati, Salom and Vinales rounded out a top four covered by just over a tenth of a second with Miguel Oliveira fifth on the Estrella Galicia Honda. Danny Kent was another rider to lead the session at one stage but ended up sixth while Alex Rins impressed again in seventh.
125cc champions Bankia Aspar had to look all the way down to eighth for their quickest rider in the form of Hector Faubel. The Spaniard was also seen in the gravel though on his final lap as he chased a quicker time. Alexis Masbou finished ninth for Caretta Technology while Niccolo Antonelli made sure that three rookies figured in the top ten after a 2:09.696.
After going second in yesterday’s first session, Louis Rossi was 11th tonight and his cause wasn’t aided by a crash early on. Britain’s Danny Webb also has plenty to ponder after ending final practice in 25th place.
