Moto3: McPhee fastest in the Austrian rain

FP1’s quickest man Jaume Masia (Bester Capital Dubai) ends day one at the eyetime Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich on top of the time sheets in a rain affected FP2 session, with Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PrustelGP) remaining second quickest overall as neither of the top two improved on their times from the morning.

One rider who did improve before the heavy rain came down right at the end of the session was John McPhee (CIP – Green Power), who topped FP2 with a 1:37.329 to put himself third on the combined timesheets. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) was third in the morning but finished the day in fourth after McPhee’s time bumped the Italian down a place, but Dalla Porta the only Honda rider in the top six.

Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider) improved his time in FP2 to finish the afternoon session in third and fifth quickest overall, as Philipp Oettl (Sudmetal Schedl GP Racing) finished Friday in Austria as the sixth fastest rider – the German dropping two places from his fourth place in FP1. He also announced he’ll be moving into the intermediate class next year with Tech 3, partnering current Moto3™ Championship leader Bezzecchi.

Seventh quickest after the opening two Free Practice sessions was Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing), improving his time in FP2 by 0.049 seconds, with Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia) eighth on the combined timesheets – the Japanese rider was 22nd after FP1 and improved his time by over a second in the afternoon.

Albert Arenas (Angel Nieto Team Moto3) also improved his time in the afternoon to finish the day ninth quickest, with Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46) rounding out the top 10.

The Italian highsided at the end of the session on the exit of Turn 1 as the rain started to fall, with Nakarin Atiratphuvapat (Honda Team Asia) also going down after being collected by Bulega’s KTM – both riders headed to the Medical Centre for check ups. Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) also crashed at Turn 1 just behind – rider ok.