Moto3

Maiden Pole Position for Ayumu Sasaki at Sachsenring

1 Mins read
Image Credit: MotoGP.com

Ayumu Sasaki leads a Japanese 1-2 for the HJC Helmets Motorrad Grand Prix at Sachsenring. His lap time of 1:26.135 was enough to secure him pole, just 0.057 seconds ahead of Kaito Toba.

Rounding out the top three for tomorrow’s starting grid will be Marcos Ramirez, however his lap record from Free Practice 3 remains intact.

Sasaki is the first Japanese pole-sitter since 2003, whilst the pairing will become the first Japanese 1-2 on the starting grid of a race since 2001.

With the top six covered by less than half a second, it is Ramierz’ Leopard Racing team-mate, Lorenzo Dalla Porta, who will line up fourth ahead of Romano Fenati and Jakub Kornfeil in fifth and sixth respectively.

This was Fenati’s best qualifying result since returning to the Moto3 grid, whilst Kornfeil will be looking to build on his podium finish from Assen.

There were some surprises to be had in Qualifying 1, with key names like championship leader, Aron Canet, and our winner last time out in Assen, Tony Arbolino failing to progress to Qualifying 2. As a result, they line up in twelfth and nineteenth respectively.

Canet returned to the track in the dying minutes of the session, but left his final attempt too late and was met by the chequered flag before he was able to lay down a truly quick lap.

Arbolino nearly faced a similar fate, with his bike stalling at pit exit on his way to his final hot lap. However, he was able to get his machine going again just in time, only to be shuffled down the timing sheets as the chequered flag fell.

Clinching the final Qualifying 1 progression spot was John McPhee, who will line up for tomorrow’s race in a strong tenth position. He lines up just behind Albert Arenas, Dennis Foggia, and Gabriel Rodrigo, who took seventh, eighth and ninth respectively.

Tomorrow’s Moto3 race will kick off at 11.00am local time (10.00am UK time). Stay tuned to The Checkered Flag, for all the up-to-date news stories and results.

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With her obsession for Motorsport really kicking off back in 2009, Charli follows both two and four-wheeled, electric and fuel-powered racing. She never feels more at home than when she is beside a racetrack! A recent graduate in Psychology and currently working in recruitment.
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