Every session fastest? Check. Key rivals down the order? Check. First back to back poles? Check.
Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) waited four years for another pole position, and now two have come at once! The Italian took to the top last time out in qualifying and he’s done it again at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix, making it a full house of sessions he’s led at Silverstone so far and this time with a new all-time lap record. His first back-to-back poles and the first time he’s taken four front row starts in a row bodes well, and key rivals Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) didn’t make it out of Q1, giving Fenati a clear goal on Sunday: gain some serious ground.
Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) was the rider just denied pole, within half a tenth despite coming through Q1, with Riccardo Rossi (BOW Owlride) taking his second ever front row in third.
Q1
Q1 had a fair share of headlines. With Championship leader Acosta AND closest challenger Garcia in the mix, and Fenati having shown such speed at Silverstone, it could prove crucial. And crucially, neither Acosta nor Garcia made it through, the latter crashing early to boot. They qualified down the order: Acosta in P22 and Garcia P24.
Rodrigo topped the session to head the charge, four tenths ahead of Carlos Tatay (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3), with Filip Salač (CarXpert PrüstelGP) and rookie Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) also moving through.
One moment of drama saw Yuki Kunii (Honda Team Asia) collide with Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power), riders ok. Kunii was awarded a Long Lap penalty for the crash.
Q2
Rodrigo was holding on to provisional pole as the minutes ticked down, and the fastest rider in practice, Fenati, was leaving it late. After some yellow flags and his penultimate effort got cancelled, the Italian had one shot to take pole position and make it every session fastest at Silverstone… and he got it done. Ultimately by just 0.043, shuffling Rodrigo down to second as the Argentinean’s speed remained from Q1.
Third was a standout performance from Le Mans podium finisher Rossi, the Italian third fastest and taking his second ever front row start.
One rider fast so far this weekend who wasn’t able to feature in the fight for pole was Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) as the Japanese rider crashed out early, rider ok,
The Grid
Fenati, Rodrigo and Rossi lock out the front row, with Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) heading up Row 2. He’s joined by Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) – the only rider in the field previously on the podium at Silverstone – and Salač.
Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) were seventh and eighth fastest, around half a second off the top, before a bigger gap back to Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) in ninth. Alcoba and Öncü, as rookies last year, race Moto3™ at Silverstone for the first time.
Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) locked out the top ten.
It’s a full house for Fenati so far, so can the Italian keep it going on Sunday, and even break away? We’ll find out at the slightly later time of 11:20 (GMT +2) as Moto3™ go racing at Silverstone.
Moto3™ top three
1 Romano Fenati – Sterilgarda Max Racing Team – Husqvarna – 2:11.325
2 Gabriel Rodrigo – Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 – Honda – +0.043
3 Riccardo Rossi – BOE Owlride – KTM – +0.197
Romano Fenati: “It was one shot, because I lost time with the other riders. In the end I was focused on my laptime, so I am happy. The second pole position in a row. I am happy. For tomorrow we have to make some adjustments as the other riders are fast. We have to be ready for a fight tomorrow, it will be a difficult race for sure!”
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