Positive qualifying session for Repsol riders in Barcelona, with Navarro third, Quartararo seventh and Herrera fourteenth.
Jorge Navarro continued his positive progression at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Saturday. After heading the first practice session on Day 1 and finishing eighth in the second, today the Spanish rider was again very fast and consistent. Fifth in the morning session, in the afternoon the Repsol rider made steady progress in qualifying to set the third fastest time, allowing him to start from the front row of the grid tomorrow. His fastest time of 1:50.840 put him 0.700s off the pole lap set by Enea Bastianini.
Teammate Fabio Quartararo also fought for the top positions on the grid, putting in a lap just 0.056 slower than Navarro. He will take off from the third row, in seventh.
Maria Herrera has also been fast at the track rapidly throughout the weekend. The Repsol rider remained in the Top 15 in each practice, and in the qualifying session was able to overcome heavy traffic to earn fourteenth place on the grid, with a best lap of 1:51.586.
The Moto3 race will be held at 11:00am Spanish time on Sunday.
Fabio Quartararo
7th – 1:50.896, 30 laps, 142 km
“Today was a difficult day. In the morning the track temperature was very good and I managed to ride at a solid pace. However, in the afternoon it was too hot and I ended up on the third row. I have still got work to do on the setup, because today it was quite windy. I think things look good for the race tomorrow; I think it will be a race in a group like last year.”
Jorge Navarro
3dr – 1:50.840, 34 laps, 161 km
“Today was a good day, like yesterday. We are working very well this weekend and I feel very comfortable on the bike, and that is being reflected every time we go out on track. The qualifying session was difficult because there was a lot of traffic, as often happens in Moto3, but in the end I managed to put in a clean lap and I’ll start from third tomorrow morning. The most important thing is the race and I think we’re ready.”
Maria Herrera
14th – 1:51.586, 31 laps, 147 km
“I’m happy because we have worked hard and well. Since Mugello I have felt comfortable on the bike. Today it was hard to get a clean lap because there were many riders almost stopped still in the middle of the track, but I had a go, pushed and in the end got a quick time. We know that tomorrow we have the pace to fight in a large group, as there are many riders with times very similar to mine. It will be interesting.”
