Danish on fire in Catalunya: leads Moto3 with Spaniards held in check, Italy smiles only with Bertelle

Plot twist at the top of Moto3 Practice, but also among those who miss out on direct Q2... Report and standings.

Hakim Danish surprises everyone with a double strike on the first day at Montmeló, holding off a small group of Spanish riders behind him. But not Álvaro Carpe, who can’t get going again after a crash and the team’s race against time to fix the bike. David Muñoz also loses his best lap due to a yellow flag and ends up outside the top 14, while Matteo Bertelle is the only Italian to secure direct access to Q2. These are some of the key points from Moto3 Friday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya—here’s how it went.

Overcast skies and not-so-high temperatures for FP1 in Barcelona: 15°C air temperature and 30°C on the asphalt. The opening session of the GP sees Hakim Danish (MSi Racing) leading for a long time, until the Spanish group’s late charge pays off. But in the end the Malaysian rookie bares his claws and is out front again, for the first time in his debut Moto3 year. He’s followed by Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) and Álvaro Carpe (KTM Ajo), with the Italians well outside the top 10. On the books is a contact between Rammerstorfer and Esteban without consequences; in the final minutes Cormac Buchanan (BOE Motorsports) crashes first, then Matteo Bertelle (LevelUp MTA), fresh off a return to the podium, and finally Jesus Rios (Snipers Team). The last to take the checkered flag is Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power).

Cool conditions continue in the afternoon for the most important Friday session to gain direct access to Q2. The Spanish riders start strong right away, although Carpe records an early crash that complicates his session. The team races against the clock to repair the bike, but alas it’s not enough to send him back out in time... The FP1 pacesetter also joins the fight for the top, and Bertelle temporarily climbs into the 14. It’s a particularly tight battle to the end, when the fired-up Malaysian rookie from MSi Racing emerges once again, imposing himself ahead of the Spanish riders and forcefully clinching direct access to Q2! Matteo Bertelle is 6th, the only Italian in the 14 and thus directly into the second qualifying session, and there’s no shortage of surprises among those who don’t make it...

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