Recently crowned Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion lines up on the second row at MotorLand
Kazuki Masaki was the top qualifier for the Asia Talent Team at Round 7 of the 2017 FIM CEV Repsol Moto3™ Junior World Championship, with the newly crowned Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion ready to line up in fifth on race day with a best of 1:58.782. Compatriot and teammate Ai Ogura – who took his maiden win last time out at Jerez – also starts in the top ten, taking P10 and only two tenths off Masaki.
Yuki Kunii, Andi Farid and Somkiat Chantra will be looking to make big progress forward on race day after a more difficult end to qualifying practice for the three. Kunii was nineteenth fastest, just ahead of Farid in P20. Chantra, the reigning Asia Talent Cup Champion, is still getting back to full strength after injury and will line up in P22 – with all eyes aiming squarely forward for the single Moto3™ race at the event.
Alberto Puig, Talent Promotion Director: “It was very fast, you can see by the laptimes they’ve done when comparing them to two weeks ago at the Grand Prix. They were really fast, with a lot of guys in the 58s and 59s, so let’s see. I don’t think it will be an easy race and we’ll see what type of tyre we can use for the race because there’s some difference…we’ll see tomorrow. We’ll try. I think it will be a tough race and to be in front isn’t easy but this is Moto3™ racing! From mid season to now, the kids have improved and that’s the target. Improvement is something we expect, so we have to keep trying.”
After a day of fair weather on Saturday, the forecast remains good for racing on Sunday – with lights out for the 15 laps of the Moto3™ race at 13:00 (GMT +2).
As always all of the action can be followed on FIM CEV Repsol YouTube channel.
