The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 rider will head the Portuguese Grand Prix starting grid, with teammate Kaito Toba on the sixth row.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 and Raul Fernandez dominated the last day of qualifying of 2020, which took place at the Portuguese Grand Prix. The Spaniard claimed his sixth pole position of the year, underlining his excellent pace this campaign; along the way, he became the only rider to progress to Q2 at every race contested this year. Fernandez will take off from the front row for the 11th time out of 15 rounds, whilst teammate Kaito Toba will start from Row 6, in 17th position.

The day started with the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 duo lowering their times in FP3. Toba set the seventh fastest lap in the morning session, stopping the clock at 1:48.001 – a second faster than yesterday. The Japanese completed 16 laps of the Portuguese track, as did Fernandez. The Spaniard used the practice to confirm the setup he had established on Friday, and to continue to gain experience of the circuit. Finally, the 20-year-old talent was 9th with a 1:48.072.

Both riders made it directly into Q2, with Fernandez the only rider in the class to have done this at every race in 2020. Not content with merely making up the numbers, the Spaniard asserted his authority to take a sixth pole of the season, thanks to his 1:48.051 top lap. Toba will start from Row 6, in 17th place, after he was unable to set a time in Q2.

The 2020 Moto3 World Championship will come to an end tomorrow with the 21-lap Portuguese Grand Prix race, which will start at 11 am local time.

Results – QP
1. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:48.051
2. Jeremy Alcoba (Honda) 1:48.236 +0.185
3. Ayumu Sasaki (KTM) 1:48.291 +0.240
4. Tatsuki Suzuki (Honda) 1:48.342 +0.291
5. Ai Ogura (Honda) 1:48.366 +0.315
17. Kaito Toba (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1.48.001 (FP3 Time)

25 RAUL FERNANDEZ

“I am happy to have achieved another pole position – my sixth of the year. It’s amazing and I’m very satisfied. Both the team and I are going to work hard to get the win at the last race of the season. I want to say goodbye to the class in style. I had a great time at the last four contests and I really enjoyed myself, so I hope I can do the same tomorrow.”

27 KAITO TOBA

“It was not our best day of qualifying. In the morning, in FP3, I felt good and was ready to have a strong performance in Q2. However, in the afternoon we struggled a lot, and we were unable to complete a single lap. Despite this, tomorrow we will give our 100% in the race and we will push hard from the start to try to finish the season well.”