The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider is back on top in Texas, with Foggia second and Acosta down in P15
Jaume Masia is back on top in Texas! The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider took his fourth career pole and second of the season at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, beating Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) to the top by a couple of tenths. Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) completes the front row, just 0.003 off Foggia.
Q1
Q1 saw both Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and teammate John McPhee looking for a way through and both found one, but it was rookie Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) who topped the session despite a tumble. Alberto Surra (Rivacold Snipers Team) was the final rider moving through.
Carlos Tatay (Avintia Esponsorama) crashed, rider ok, and missing out by just 0.028.
Q2
The fight for pole boiled down to Masia vs Foggia, with the Spaniard taking over on top as the Italian was heading round on his final push. Behind teammate Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing), Foggia’s first sector was a red one but as the lap went one, he lost touch by enough to deny a really challenge for pole. That left Masia unchallenged to take his second pole of the season, but Foggia nevertheless starts second as he continues his mission to cut the Championship gap. Alcoba took third.
Championship leader Acosta, who was riding in tandem with teammate Masia too, couldn’t make much of a dent in the top and took P15, with fellow rookies Izan Guevara (Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team) and Artigas outgunning him somewhat on Saturday, taking fourth and fifth, respectively.
The Grid
Masia, Foggia and Alcoba head up the grid, ahead of the rookie duo. For Guevara it’s his second best qualifying yet, and it’s Artigas’ best, although equal best starting position of the season… no mean feat for riders making their debuts at the mammoth COTA. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completes Row 2.
Friday’s fastest Filip Salač (CarXpert PrüstelGP) heads Row 3, ahead of Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3). McPhee completes the top ten, with two-time COTA winner Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) in a somewhat surprising P11 and Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) in P13.
Acosta 15th, Foggia near the front and Masia free of that pressure at the zenith of the title fight could make for an interesting race day in Texas. Make sure to tune in as Moto3™ take on COTA at 11:00 (GMT -5) on Sunday… can Foggia do it again?
Moto3™ top three
1 Jaume Masia – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM – 2’15.986
2 Dennis Foggia – Leopard Racing – Honda – +0.193
3 Jeremy Alcoba – Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 – Honda – +0.196
Jaume Masia: “I was not expecting that lap, because I had a moment on the first run with the first tyre at Turn 3 but on the last lap I tried to just not lose too much time in the first sector, take care and take my time during the lap because the track is super long to recover the gap. But I had a good reference and it was really helpful.”
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