The rookie had little trouble handling the wet conditions
David Muñoz’s career might just be a few Grands Prix old but he was showing no signs of inexperience in the two wet Moto3™ Free Practice sessions on Friday at the Motul TT Assen. The youngest rider in the field at just 16 years of age, he was fastest in both FP1 and FP2 on his BOE Motorsports KTM, getting down to a 1:49.491 in the afternoon running at the TT Circuit Assen. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) and Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) completed the top three for both FP2 and the day overall.
More wet-weather riding at the Cathedral
The lightweight class riders were greeted yet again by a wet track for FP2 but, unlike in the morning session, the rain had stopped by the time they ventured out. Muñoz was the first to go better than his FP1 pace-setter, just two flying laps in, and was first also to get into the 1:51s and then the 1:50s too. Suzuki moved the marker into the 1:49s with just over a quarter of an hour remaining, but there was still more time to come.
Muñoz saved his best for just before the chequered flag, beating Suzuki’s 1:49.672 from a few minutes earlier, while Yamanaka clocked a 1:49.723 with the chequered flag out. Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) claimed fourth on a 1:49.947, ahead of Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) on a 1:50.070 and Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PruestelGP) on a 1:50.083. Lorenzo Fellon was prominent throughout the 40-minute session and would finish seventh on a 1:50.188, ahead of his Sic58 Squadra Corse team-mate Riccardo Rossi, then Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) in ninth and Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in 10th.
How did the World Championship contenders fare?
GASGAS Aspar Team duo Izan Guevara and Sergio Garcia, who are second and first in the World Championship respectively, snuck into the top 14 which decides who goes straight into Q2 come Saturday afternoon, while Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia was only 21st. However, the forecast is for dry conditions at least on Saturday morning when FP3 takes place, meaning the Italian should have a good opportunity to earn a bye past Q1 anyway. Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) had a crash right at the end of FP2 at the Geert Timmer Chicane, but the Italian was okay. He finished the session in 23rd.
Some…