MotoGP Austin: Migno denies Foggia in Moto3 pole fight

Rivacold Snipers’ Andrea Migno secured his first Moto3 pole position of 2022 at the Circuit of the Americas on Saturday.

The Italian denied Dennis Foggia in the closing stages with a 2’15.814 effort, after a strong solo rider from the Leopard man in his continued hunt for the elusive debut pole. CFMoto’s Xavi Artigas completed the celebrations for his first front row start in the lightweight class having come through from Q1.

Moto3 qualifying began with Mario Aji crashing out at turn 11 on the Honda Team Asia as Artigas set the pace out front with a 2’16.955 on the PruestelGP. Stefano Nepa, Elia Bartolini and Adrian Fernandez holding the top four at the halfway stage with Scott Ogden sixth on the VisionTrack Honda.

Nepa headed the times in the closing two minutes as Artigas dropped to second, his best time deleted. Ogden taking control with a 2’16.871, almost two-tenths clear with 30 seconds left on the clock. Artigas denied the Brit the session spoils next time around but with no further challenges registering the promotion was secure. Nepa and Bartolini completing the quartet heading through to the final battle.

Saturday’s concluding action found Izan Guevara setting the initial pace on the GasGas Aspar from Tech3 KTM’s Deniz Öncü and CIP Green power’s Kaito Toba. Migno advancing the time with his third lap as KTM locked out the rest of the top four. Öncü heading Red Bull’s Jaume Masia and Daniel Holgado before Foggia joined the fight and split the Ajo riders for fourth.

A strong second session found Ogden running tenth, after a brief spell in fourth. The Brit just six-tenths shy of the Italian’s target time with Guevara, Diogo Moreira, Nepa and Toba narrowly ahead.

Foggia hit the front as the final runs ignited,