Honda rider Dennis Foggia leads first Moto3 practice at Sepang for Ayumu Sasaki and Jaume Masia – local rider Syarifuddin Azman in top 10
Dennis Foggia finished the first Moto3 free practice session at Sepang fastest. The Honda rider set the fastest time of 2’12.226, beating Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) and Jaume Masia (KTM)
In the morning, temperatures in Sepang were the usual sultry 26 degrees. For most riders, it was their first contact with the track since 2019, the last time a Grand Prix was held here. Unlike MotoGP, the small classes do not test at Sepang.
Many riders were looking for a reference on the 5.5-kilometre lap in Sepang, also to benefit from the slipstream effect on the two straights. As so often, the top times fell in the closing stages of the 40-minute practice session.
The two big straights to end the lap are a huge feature of Sepang!
Watch out for the Moto3 riders looking to get a slipstream to find some lap time! ✊MalaysianGP pic.twitter.com/CwJlzpktqs
– MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) October 21, 2022
In the end, Foggia, a veteran, came out on top. He led the session at the halfway point and improved again at the end to maintain the lead. However, only 70 thousandths separated him from Sasaki. Masia, on the other hand, was already 0.625 seconds behind in third place.
Riccardo Rossi (Honda) and the newly crowned Moto3 champion from Phillip Island Izan Guevara rounded off the top 5. Teammates Diogo Moreira, Ryusei Yamanaka as well as Daniel Holgado (all KTM), Sergio Garcia (GasGas) and Syarifuddin Azman (Honda) followed in sixth to tenth place.
Azman is on a wildcard this weekend. For the young Malaysian, it is the fourth outing of the season after Jerez, Le Mans and Barcelona.
