Jose Antonio Rueda and Xabi Zurutuza will start the race in ninth and 23rd, respectively.

Saturday qualifying came to an end for the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 duo. After a difficult Practice 2, Jose Antonio Rueda and Xabi Zurutuza were forced to go through Q1, although only Rueda made it through to Q2. The Spanish rider will start the race from the third row of the grid after failing to improve in the final laps, while Xabi Zurutuza will start from the eighth row.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 duo had to give their all in Practice 2 this morning to secure a direct passage into Q2 and both Jose Antonio Rueda and Xabi Zurutuza enjoyed good track conditions. Rueda had some difficulty finding a good feeling with his KTM and, although he lowered his times during the session itself, he fell just short of improving his best lap. His 1:41.476, set on his final attempt, placed him in fourteenth position, although on the combined timesheets he was fifteenth -outside the initial cut for Q2. Zurutuza has also tried to earn a place among the Top 14, and upped his pace. After a pit stop the rookie fought hard for a good lap and took a big step forward compared to Friday, achieving the sixteenth best time thanks to his 1:41.492. However, it left him seventeenth overall.

In Q1, Rueda had a much better feeling compared to Practice, and quickly moved up to the top of the timesheets. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider took first place with a time of 1:40.863, which allowed him to enter Q2 and the fight for the front positions on the grid. There he finished ninth thanks to a 1:40.744. Zurutuza also continued to enjoy a good feeling, but had what was set to be his best lap hindered by another rider getting in his way, and his 1:41.986 only allowed him to finish ninth. He will therefore start the race in 23rd position, on the eighth row.

The 20-lap Moto3 Emilia Romagna GP race will take place on Sunday at 10:00 am, local time.

Results Qualifying
1. Taiyo Furusato (Honda) 1:40.394
2. David Alonso (CFMOTO) 1:40.453 +0.059
3. Angel Piqueras (Honda) 1:40.460 +0.066
4. Ivan Ortola (KTM) 1:40.461 +0.067
5. Stefano Nepa (KTM) 1:40.510 +0.116
9. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:40.744 +0.350
23. Xabi Zurutuza (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:41.986 +1.123 *Q1 time

#99 JOSE ANTONIO RUEDA

“After practice the day wasn’t going as we expected, but we made a change for qualifying and it worked out very well, I felt very comfortable and I was able to set a good time. In Q2 I was also able to do a good time but I lost the front a bit and I lost some time, so we weren’t able to fight for a better position. I’m happy with the change and we’re ready for the race. I would have liked to have been starting further up the order, but we’ll prepare for the race as best as possible because it will be difficult.”

#85 XABI ZURUTUZA

“We have finished the second day at Misano. It was positive, but bittersweet at the end because we weren’t able to get through to Q2. We only didn’t manage it because I had to avoid another rider. My confidence with the bike is very good, so we’re ready for the race. It will be important to recover as many positions as possible at the beginning to be able to fight and score points again.”