Moto3: Champion Mir tops only dry session in Malaysia

New Moto3 world champion Joan Mir has topped the opening day of action at the Malaysian Grand Prix, taking the provisional pole position ahead of home favourite Adam Norrodin on yet another rain-struck day for the lightweight class that saw free practice one run as the day’s only dry track time.

Mir was 0.28 faster than the Sepang International Circuit Honda rider at the Malaysian squad’s home track in the morning’s opening session, but with conditions worsening it was Aron Canet who topped the day’s second outing, with Mir coming home in 8^th.

“I’m happy about how this first day went on. It was a positive Friday because I enjoyed riding a lot and got some good feelings. It’s too bad for the second session in the wet, where we tried a change that did not give its results, but now we already know how to behave in the event of rain.”

Livio Loi was an impressive third on the second Leopard machine, building off a podium last time out in Australia, ahead of a provisional second row of Romano Fenati, Enea Bastianini and Bo Bendsneyder.

Brit John McPhee was 11^th on overall times, but inside the top eight in the evening’s rain on the British Talent Team Honda, finally finding a good wet setting for the machine last time out in Australia and building on it for this weekend.