Gresini Honda’s Jeremy Alcoba put together a stunning lap to take the DutchGP Moto3 pole at Assen this afternoon as Pedro Acosta missed out on qualifying due to a back injury.
Romano Fenati and Dennis Foggia will join the Indonesian Racing rider on Sunday’s front row with John McPhee lining up in 11th ahead of the 22-lap race.
The lightweight class qualifying got underway with three fewer competitors than expected after Acosta, Stefano Nepa and Riccardo Rossi were all sent to the local hospital for further examinations after initial medical checks, following the dramatic tangle in the final moments of FP3. Ryusei Yamanaka the only involved rider, able to continue as the Q1 session began.
Izan Guevara was in prime position as the initial laps registered, Alberto Surra crashing his Rivacold Snipers on his out-lap with a massive highside on the exit of turn seven. Jaume Masia took control from Joel Kelso and Yamanaka as the session continued, Xavier Artigas and Lorenzo Fellon slotting in to first and third next time around before the KTM rider was back in charge with a 1’41.932 on his third effort.
Yuki Kunii sat 0.07s adrift of the Q2 zone at the halfway stage, Yamanaka and Adrian Fernandez behind as the group returned to the pits, the final runs commencing with just two-minutes to go.
Masia maintained his lead despite failing to set a hot-lap, Guevara the only rider to improve his time as he claimed fourth with Artigas and Fellon consolidating their Q2 promotion as the majority misjudged their timings once again.
The top-18 shootout fired up without the championship leader as Acosta was declared unfit due to an upper back injury. McPhee taking his initial shot at pole with a 1’42.043 before the second hot-laps gave Niccolò Antonelli the advantage, just a tenth ahead of the Scot. Masia and Darryn Binder took third and fourth with Gabriel Rodrigo in fifth after saving another momentous moment a turn 15.
Kaito Toba took charge at the halfway stage from Alcoba, with Antonelli holding on to the final front row place, Foggia, Masia and Artigas demoting McPhee from row two as Binder trailed his fellow Petronas Honda in eighth and Rodrigo dropped to ninth.
The top-two swapped places with six-minutes remaining, Tatsuki Suzuki sitting 10th from Sergio Garcia, Deniz Öncü and Elia Bartolini while Romano Fenati headed Fellon, Andrea Migno and Guevara at the base of the standings.
The end of session frenzy was preceded by the pitlane lull as the bikes ignited in the closing two-minutes. Garcia struck for pole with a 1’41.473, set alone as he chose to avoid the usual group chaos. Fenati taking his shot in the final minute as he claimed the lead by 0.067s.
With the entire pack out in time for a final flyer, Alcoba looked to be the only red-sector challenger, finding the flag with a 1’41.194 to take the pole from Fenati as Foggia improved to third. Garcia dropped to fourth with Toba and Rodrigo for company on the second row, Antonelli heading Binder and Artigas on row three. McPhee settled for 11th, Masia and Suzuki either side of the Petronas man while Guevara, Fellon, Öncü, Bartolini, Migno and Acosta completed rows five and six.
