The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 riders finish Friday in first and third place, respectively.

The Japanese Grand Prix began with the threat of rain and mixed track conditions for the Moto2 riders. With only one session held on Friday, Augusto Fernandez and Pedro Acosta worked hard to achieve good results and were two of the standout riders of the day. Fernandez led the session and set the fastest time, while Acosta concluded FP1 in third position.

Fernandez was the man to beat in Friday’s solitary session at Mobility Resort Motegi. The current Moto2 World Championship leader led the timesheets in the opening laps, improving lap by lap. After several changes of position, although always remaining in the Top 3, he completed FP1 with a 1:50.493 best time, set on his 14th lap of 17. Acosta was riding at the Japanese track for the first time, with the clear objective of getting a good feeling and working with qualifying in mind. He was consistent and quickly moved into the Top 10, and in the final stretch of FP1 he snatched third place, with a time of 1:50.783, on his fourteenth lap.

Moto2 qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix takes place on Saturday, 24th September, from 1:30 PM local time.

Results (FP1 session)
1. Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:50.493
2. Somkiat Chantra (Kalex) 1:50.577 +0.084
3. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:50.783 +0.290
4. Ai Ogura (Kalex) 1:50.885 +0.392
5. Filip Salac (Kalex) 1:50.967 +0.474

#37 AUGUSTO FERNANDEZ

“Today was an atypical day with only one session, so we had to set good times quickly. We did that and I’m happy. We have clear ideas for the rest of the weekend, although the forecast is that tomorrow it will rain and today was completely dry. I’m working well with the team and we’re confident for tomorrow.”

#51 PEDRO ACOSTA

“The improvements we achieved today are important. It’s a new circuit for me and we have one less session, so we couldn’t relax. I’m happy with today’s result; we were fast and we finished in the Top 3. It was a good Friday – we could say it was one of the best this year. We’ll see what the weather is like tomorrow, but regardless of whether it’s dry or wet, we’ll give 100%.”