Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 get underway well at Phillip Island, both earning direct spots in Q2.

Alvaro Carpe secured the top spot in the Australian Grand Prix Practice session on Friday, working alone and putting in an impressive second run of fast laps with consistently quick sector times. Brian Uriarte demonstrated his comfort with the track right from the start, finishing the Practice session in ninth place.

The Moto3 World Championship kicked off the action at a sunny and windy Phillip Island, with track temperatures reaching 26°C and wind gusts exceeding 20km/h.

Uriarte felt comfortable from start to finish, firmly among the three fastest riders throughout the session without ever dropping off the pace. Using two separate runs to fine-tune his bike’s setup, he made a strong push in the final stages, clocking several fast laps that repeatedly put him in the top spot. It wasn’t until the chequered flag fell that the rookie relinquished the lead, finishing second with a time of 1:35.525. It was his best ever lap at the track, where he previously rode in last year’s Grand Prix. He put in 18 laps, and was less than a tenth of a second behind the pacesetter. Carpe also showed good pace right from the start, trading the top spot with his teammate during the early part of the second run. Working together to provide each other with a reference point and accelerate their progress, the Red Bull KTM Ajo pair held firm inside the Top 3. Carpe finally clocked a 1:35.546, just 107 thousandths of a second off first place and still with room to improve to match his time from 2025. He completed 17 laps in total.

During Practice, conditions were slightly better in terms of track temperature, reaching 46°C; however, wind speeds were also significantly higher, with gusts of up to 50 km/h along the home straight creating more challenging effects on slipstreaming and reference points.

Carpe performed well once again, riding alone to build on the momentum from the first session. He remained within the Top 5 throughout, as the session approached the Time Attack phase, which allowed him to focus on race preparation for Sunday. Late on, the Spaniard again rode entirely on his own, stringing together several laps with multiple sectors that were the fastest of any rider. It wasn’t until his final attempt, however, that he managed to overcome the headwind on the home straight to claim the top spot with a 1:35.292, finishing first in a ninth free practice session of the season. Carpe completed 18 laps of the Australian circuit. Uriarte took longer to find his rhythm; he had to return to the pits after his initial flying laps to make adjustments to his bike, all while continuously adapting to the windy conditions. Halfway through the session, he returned out on the track, sitting in 12th place and 1.2 seconds off the top spot. However, without any major issues, he put together several fast laps that moved him back into the Top 5, allowing him to approach the final part of the session with greater confidence and security. During the Time Attack phase he stayed out, but had to rely on those earlier strong laps to keep him ninth and take him into Q2. He was ninth with a 1:36.023.

In conclusion, it was a positive Friday to start building a good base for the two Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 riders, who worked together in the morning and on their own, without any reference, in the afternoon. In any case, it was a good first day for both Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte, who are now preparing for the second day. Rain and adverse conditions could come into play tomorrow in the Australian Grand Prix. The riders will find out what to expect in the morning, starting at 8:40 a.m. (local time) during Free Practice 2. In the afternoon, they will take part in Q2 to decide the grid, which will begin at 1:10 p.m. at Phillip Island.

Practice Results
1. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:35.292
2. Joel Kelso (Honda) | 1:35.318 (+0.026)
3. Maximo Quiles (KTM) | 1:35.423 (+0.131)
4. David Almansa (KTM) | 1:35.616 (+0.324)
5. Scott Ogden (KTM) | 1:35.647 (+0.355)
9. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) | 1:36.023 (+0.731)

#83 ALVARO CARPE

“Today was very positive. We quickly found our footing and our pace, so I’m happy to have started the weekend this way. I’ve really enjoyed being out on track and I’m having a great time, but now we have to see what the weather conditions will be like for the rest of the weekend, as that could completely change the scenario. Hopefully, we’ll get lucky and the rain will stay away, allowing us to keep building on today’s foundation, which is a really strong starting point for Sunday.”

#51 BRIAN URIARTE

“It was a positive first day at Phillip Island. Free Practice 1 went very well, and we were able to be quite fast. In the afternoon, we identified a few more details that need fine-tuning, but we have plenty of time, so I’m confident we’ll be able to sort them out without any issues. The bike is working well, I feel comfortable, and I like the track, so we’ll aim for a strong performance here in Australia. The weather is likely to change over the rest of the weekend, so we’ll need to adapt as best and quickly as possible to ensure we can give 100%, regardless of the conditions we might face.”