MotoGP Austria: Foggia leads Friday Moto3 times

Leopard’s Dennis Foggia continued his Silverstone form with Moto3’s fastest time at the Red Bull Ring on Friday.

Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Deniz Öncü and Sterilgarda Husqvarna’s John McPhee completed the top three at the Austrian manufacturer’s home track with the leading trio covered by just 0.049s.

A wet Red Bull Ring greeted the Moto3 class as the Austrian GP weekend got underway on Friday morning. Heavy storms overnight leaving a saturated track with further rain expected across the day.

Newly signed BOE rider David Muñoz headed the initial standings as the rookie continued to impress with fellow 2022 recruit Mario Aji running second before Leopard’s Tatsuki Suzuki claimed the position with MTA’s Stefano Nepa slotting into third.

The opening ten minutes found McPhee and VisionTrack Honda’s Scott Ogden circulating on the fringes of the top ten and narrowly adrift of championship leaders Sergio Garcia and Izan Guevara before a shuffle to the standings promoted the rookie above the Aspar riders with his sixth lap.

Garcia topped the times at the halfway stage with a 1’52.669 on the GasGas machine from Suzuki and Muñoz before his teammate bettered by three-tenths next time around and Tech3’s Öncü slid into third. CFMoto’s Carlos Tatay headed Rivacold Snipers’ Andrea Migno in sixth and seventh with Sic58’s Lorenzo Fellon, MT Helmets’ Ryusei Yamanaka and Aji completing the top ten.

Migno advanced to third as the second half played out with team-mate Alberto surra joining him to lock out the top four for the Aspar and Snipers squads. Silverstone winner Foggia arrived to sixth as the final ten minutes prepared with Brits Ogden, McPhee and Josh Whatley running 20th, 25th and 27th respectively.

Six minutes to go and Garcia topped