It was CLOSE at the top, with Rossi searing to a new lap record and rookie Rueda on the chase.

Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) has begun the Moto3™ season on top, with the Italian putting in a scorching lap of Portimao under the old lap record at the Official Test. The rider on the chase arguably upstages the impressive feat of the more veteran 54, however, with rookie Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) just 0.051s further back as he joins the fold – and with a lap that’s also under the previous record. If he wasn’t one to watch already, arriving as the first rider to win both JuniorGP™ and the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup in the same year, he most definitely is now.

Third on the combined timesheets goes to David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), the impressive 2022 rookie starting his sophomore season on a high, with two veterans rounding out the top five: Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team). The full combined timesheets can be found below.

Some notable positions include the trio of rookies from 10th to 12th, with David Alonso (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team), Syarifuddin Azman (MT Helmets – MSI) and Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) all impressing.

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in P15 and Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) in P19 are two veterans who will be looking for more once the Grand Prix gets underway.

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