Ivan Ortola captured pole position during FIM Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Motegi, in Japan. Riding his MT Helmets – MSI KTM on Pirelli control tires, the young Spaniard lapped the 2.9-mile (4.8 km) course in 1:54.761 to lead the field of 26 riders.
Collin Veijer was the best of the rest with a 1:55.117 on his Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP racebike, and Aspar Team CFMOTO rider David Alonso earned the third and final spot on the front row by doing a 1:55.170.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
The #48 demolished the lap record in Q2 and will start alongside Collin Veijer and David Alonso at Motegi.
Moto3™ brought drama by the bucketload at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, with Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) charging to pole position at the Mobility Resort Motegi. It was an unbelievable lap from the #48, clocking a 1:54.761 and obliterating the lap record. It was a tense fight for pole position, with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) grabbing second on the grid, ending Saturday 0.356s behind. It ends a great day for the Dutchman, placing ahead of Championship leader David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), who claims the final spot on the front row in a weekend which could see the #80 leave as Champion.
Lap records destroyed in Q2
Due to rain overnight, no riders were able to improve on their times from Friday, with Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) fastest on Saturday morning and Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) remaining at the top of the combined standings. It was a tense Q1, with the top four spots decided on the final flying lap, with David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) topping the session and earning a spot in Q2 alongside Stefano Nepa (LEVELUP – MTA), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and CIP Green Power’s Riccardo Rossi.
It was a hectic start to Q2, with rain beginning to fall around the circuit it led to a frantic opening five minutes, which saw Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) in P1 before Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) destroyed the lap record. It was a dramatic end to Q2, with Veijer continuing to improve on his second run, reclaiming P1 in the final minute of the session, before Ortola responded and entered the 1:54 bracket.
Holgado starts from P9
Heading the second row of the grid on Sunday will be Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing), ending the morning 0.315s adrift from a spot on the front row. The Spaniard had a rock-solid session, qualifying as the top Honda and will now be joined by Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) on the second row. It was a strong qualifying for the Australian, who will set sights on a good result on Sunday to prepare himself for his home GP next time out.
Meanwhile, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) starts at the head of row three, setting a strong 1:55.928 to place in front of Muñoz. The #64 battled hard from Q1, earning eighth on the grid ahead of Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), who jumped from 18th to ninth on his final run. Further back, home hero Furusato starts from 13th on the grid, ending Q2 ahead of Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo).
Do not miss a potential title-deciding Japanese GP, with action getting underway at 11:00 local time (UTC +9), as we prepare to go racing on Sunday!