Gabriel Rodrigo is the man to beat in Barcelona at the end of Day 1 of the Catalunya Grand Prix, the Argentinean following up his Mugello podium in style.
Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing), last year's lightweight class winner at the track, was second quickest less than a tenth down, with Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) completing the top three.
FP1
Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team started the weekend on top with a 1-2, with Le Mans winner Sergio Garcia topping FP1 by a couple of tenths ahead of rookie teammate Izan Guevara after a late charge from both.
Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team) was next up, a tenth and a half further back, ahead of John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing). The timesheets tightened up significantly behind the Brit as the gaps became hundredths or thousandths.
Adrian Fernandez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) crashed at Turn 16, and Darryn Binder slid out at Turn 5, both riders ok.
FP2
FP2 saw the fastest time tumble by half a second as Rodrigo took over on top, with Binder for close company just 0.078 off and the two moving the goalposts by the end of play.
A bigger gap of 0.180 then opened up to veteran Italian Romano Fenati in third, with Izan Guevara fourth after another good showing, the rookie a further two tenths in arrears.
Then it got tight again, with third in the Championship Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) 0.034 back and the gaps all much less than a tenth all the way down to ninth-placed Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride).
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) suffered a highside out of Turn 2, with Rodrigo taking a tumble not long after. CIP Green Power injury replacement rider Daniel Holgado, the Championship leader in both the Moto3 Junior World Championship and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, also tumbled at Turn 8, riders all ok.
Combined Timesheets
Rodrigo leads Binder, Fenati, Guevara, Sasaki and Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) overall, with Garcia's FP1 best slotting him into seventh. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) take eighth and ninth, with Nepa completing the top ten.
As it stands, Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3), Le Mans podium finisher Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride), Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Salač, the Czech rider by virtue of his best in FP1, stand to move through to Q2... but everything could change again on Saturday morning.
FP3 for the lightweight class begins at 9am (GMT +2), before qualifying from 12:35. Make sure to tune in!
Moto3 Friday top five:
1 Gabriel Rodrigo - Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 - Honda - 1:47.950
2 Darryn Binder - Petronas Sprinta Racing - Honda - +0.078
3 Romano Fenati - Sterilgarda Max Racing Team - Husqvarna - +0.258
4 Izan Guevara - Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team - GASGAS - +0.458
5 Ayumu Sasaki - Red Bull KTM Tech3 - KTM - +0.492
