Submitted by David Emmett on
Romano Fenati heads into the first round of the 2019 Moto3 championship with some confidence, after an outstanding last test at Qatar. Fenati was fastest in six of the nine session, his Snipers Team teammate Tony Arbolino leading in another, and finishing as second overall. Aron Canet was the fastest KTM rider, the Sterilgarda Max rider ending a third of a second slower than Fenati.
Overall, the Hondas controlled the Moto3 class at Qatar, taking seven of the top eight places, Canet the only interloper. The completely redesigned Honda NSF250RW has a little more power, but more importantly, stronger acceleration, and that has paid off for the Japanese factory. KTM have their work cut out trying to catch the Honda through the 2019 season.
Combined times over all three days
Pos | No | Rider | Bike | Time | Diff | Prev |
1 | 55 | Romano Fenati | Honda | 2:05.285 | ||
2 | 14 | Tony Arbolino | Honda | 2:05.515 | 0.230 | 0.230 |
3 | 44 | Aron Canet | KTM | 2:05.653 | 0.368 | 0.138 |
4 | 48 | Lorenzo Dalla Porta | Honda | 2:05.771 | 0.486 | 0.118 |
5 | 23 | Niccolo Antonelli | Honda | 2:05.792 | 0.507 | 0.021 |
6 | 17 | John McPhee | Honda | 2:05.899 | 0.614 | 0.107 |
7 | 42 | Marcos Ramirez | Honda | 2:06.030 | 0.745 | 0.131 |
8 | 24 | Tatsuki Suzuki | Honda | 2:06.090 | 0.805 | 0.060 |
9 | 7 | Dennis Foggia | KTM | 2:06.199 | 0.914 | 0.109 |
10 | 13 | Celestino Vietti | KTM | 2:06.200 | 0.915 | 0.001 |
11 | 27 | Kaito Toba | Honda | 2:06.206 | 0.921 | 0.006 |
12 | 21 | Alonso Lopez | Honda | 2:06.243 | 0.958 | 0.037 |
13 | 22 | Kazuki Masaki | KTM | 2:06.246 | 0.961 | 0.003 |
14 | 75 | Albert Arenas | KTM | 2:06.312 | 1.027 | 0.066 |
15 | 71 | Ayumu Sasaki | Honda | 2:06.341 | 1.056 | 0.029 |
16 | 40 | Darryn Binder | KTM | 2:06.503 | 1.218 | 0.162 |
17 | 25 | Raul Fernandez | KTM | 2:06.558 | 1.273 | 0.055 |
18 | 84 | Jakub Kornfeil | KTM | 2:06.590 | 1.305 | 0.032 |
19 | 79 | Ai Ogura | Honda | 2:06.671 | 1.386 | 0.081 |
20 | 19 | Gabriel Rodrigo | Honda | 2:06.736 | 1.451 | 0.065 |
21 | 77 | Vicente Perez | KTM | 2:06.787 | 1.502 | 0.051 |
22 | 11 | Sergio Garcia | Honda | 2:06.975 | 1.690 | 0.188 |
23 | 61 | Can Oncu | KTM | 2:06.984 | 1.699 | 0.009 |
24 | 12 | Filip Salac | KTM | 2:07.217 | 1.932 | 0.233 |
25 | 76 | Makar Yurchenko | KTM | 2:07.227 | 1.942 | 0.010 |
26 | 16 | Andrea Migno | KTM | 2:07.427 | 2.142 | 0.200 |
27 | 54 | Riccardo Rossi | Honda | 2:07.992 | 2.707 | 0.565 |
28 | 69 | Tom Booth-Amos | KTM | 2:08.084 | 2.799 | 0.092 |
Records: | ||||
Pole Lap: | 2018 | Niccolo Antonelli | 2:06.364 | 149.9 Km/h |
Fastest Lap: | 2018 | Aron Canet | 2:06.373 | 149.1 Km/h |
Circuit Record Lap: | 2014 | Alexis Masbou | 2:05.862 | 149.1 Km/h |
Best Lap: | 2018 | Jorge Martin | 2:05.590 | 150.2 Km/h |
Comments
Still disappointed in Fenati
I still believe Fenati should be banned from FIM racing for life. Being a rider isn't a right, and he's proven he doesn't deserve it.
Also, seems that KTM is struggling now in all three classes. Stretching themselves a bit thin? No other MotoGP team is doing Moto2 chassis work, afaik, and only Honda also does Moto3.
KTM and this year
I'm curious if the 250 and 450 motocross effort here in America has any effect on budget for the road racing side of the factory? David do you have any insight perhaps?
AMA MX and KTM
I am not sure, but I think that the AMA program is financed by KTM US, so it doesn't affect KTM's other racing programs. It's much more likely that the increased effort in MotoGP is having an effect.