Moto3 Doha: Late move leaps Masia to Losail pole position

Jaume Masia continued his great start to the season with pole position secured in qualifying for round two of the championship as the paddock returns to the Losail track for the Doha Moto3 Grand Prix.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider was down in fifteenth as the final flying laps came in, but was circulating in a group including his team-mate Pedro Acosta, Tatsuki Suzuki and the Aspar bikes.

Gaining a two bike slipstream saw Masia power to a session leading 2m 05.913 - far slower than the pole from last Saturday in the blustery, sandy conditions, which saw very reduced visibility earlier in the day.

Sergio Garcia looked set for pole, holding the provisional spot just before Masia crossed the line and took second in the session for GasGas and Gaviota Aspar, just 0.099s slower.  

However the Spaniard will not line up in second - the actions of seven of the lightweight class riders in the FP2 session did not go unnoticed, so they will not retain the positions earned. 

Leading on the last flying lap in FP2 and then slowing between turns 15 and 16 to gain a tow has been punished with a pit lane start for Garcia along with Pedro Acosta, Romano Fenati, Dennis Foggia, Stefano Nepa, Riccardo Rossi and Deniz Oncu.

Instead they will line up on a separate pit lane grid in the order they qualified in.

Jeremy Alcoba finished Q2 in third but should move up into second for Gresini as the top Honda on the grid.

His team-mate Gabriel Rodrigo finished the session in fourth, with a late last effort pushing Suzuki up to fifth for SIC58 Squadra Corsi after spending much of the session with no time set.

Andrea Migno was the early pace-setter for Rivacold Snipers, the Italian finished up with the sixth best time after moving up from Q1 in first.

Pole-sitter last weekend after coming through Q1, Binder was fastest after practice - the Petronas rider went straight into Q2 this time round. The South African couldn’t quite match his qualifying efforts from round one - he finished seventh before the reshuffle commences.

His team-mate John McPhee was a constant next to him on track as they got their teamwork in sync, he will be the next rider on the grid after setting the eighth best lap.

Acosta was the best of the rookies after shadowing his fellow Red Bull rider Masia, his provisional ninth will lift him to a better pitlane start.

Izan Guevara also imrpessed, the Aspar rider having enough pace to complete the top ten.

Jason Dupasquier looked more confident after a top ten finish in the first race, he was eleventh for CarXpert PruestelGP - his best qualifying performance to date before he is moved up further on the grid.

Xavier Artigas (Leopard Impala Junior Team) will have his work cut out on race day - the rookie has qualified down in 16th but must serve a double long lap penalty in the race after causing the crash which took out McPhee, Alcoba and Migno last week.

After moving down from Moto2, Andi Farid Izdihar will have to start from the back of the grid after his Q1 fall.

Oncu is set to be at the back of the pit lane bunch, after a spill in Q1 left him without a time to his name, and kicking the gravel in frustration.