Muñoz mounts late charge to lead Practice at Le Mans

Moto3 was its usual energetic and frenetic self in a 35-minute session to determine who moves into Q2 directly and who has to fight it out in Q1.

Topping the session without any such dramas, David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) bounced back from a crash at Turn 14 to go top late on and lead the charge into Saturday.

Muñoz led the way at the chequered flag but he highsided on the exit of Turn 14 early on in the session. A second faller at the corner a few minutes later was Jakob Rosenthaler (DENSSI Racing – BOE), which then resulted gravel on the circuit and a red flag whilst the marshals cleaned up. On the return to the track, Turn 14 was proving problematic as rookie sensation Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) saved a big moment before Rosenthaler’s teammate Cormac Buchanan crashed there in a similar way. This caused for yellow flags and then, in the closing stages, Buchanan fell again, making it two in one session for the #14 New Zealander.

This meant more yellow flags but sneaking a lap in to go top – after missing the first half of the session, Muñoz pipped Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and the morning’s fastest rider, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing). Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) crashed at Turn 11 despite his best efforts to repeat his COTA save but came home fourth, ahead of best rookie and returnee Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) and fellow rookie Pini. Completing the top seven, Quiles’ teammate, Dennis Foggia.

Following his big crash in the morning, Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) was solid to move through with P8, whilst Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) struggled throughout but salvaged ninth. Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) rounded out the top ten ahead of Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Joel Kelso (LEVELUP – MTA), David Almansa (Leopard Racing) – who crept in during the closing minutes – and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), making it four rookies into Q2 as well as the home Tech 3 outfit. Big names missing out included Perrone’s teammate Jacob Roulstone, Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Riccardo Rossi (Rivacold Snipers Team).

Having dominated FP1, there was no catching Rueda again in the afternoon heat as from the get-go, the Spaniard was P1. Once the out-and-out time attack laps landed towards the end of Practice, Rueda stretched his legs further to lap just under a second away from the all-time lap record.

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