MotoGP Germany: Salac tops Moto2 FP3 as Vietti faces Q1

Gresini Racing’s Filip Salac took charge of the Moto2 times on Saturday morning with a 1’23.640 around the Sachsenring.

Flexbox HP40’s Aron Canet and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Augusto Fernandez joined him in the top there, with the Pons rider recovering from an early crash to claim the runners up spot.

The final intermediate practice began with a winded Jake Dixon on the deck after a turn three highside on his opening flying lap. Liqui Moly’s Marcel Schrotter and Sam Lowes the early movers in the top three with the pair swapping positions next time around as the Marc VDS man got within three-tenths of Fernandez’ Friday target. The time, however, didn’t stand for long as Bo Bendsneyder arrived on the Pertamina SAG to command the standings with a 1’24.014. American Racing’s Cameron Beaubier up to third as Salac primed the Gresini to P1 with the first 1’23 of the weekend. Mooney VR46’s Celestino Vietti started Saturday with dramatically improved fortunes to his opening efforts, finding eighth and placing himself firmly inside Q2 promotion after Friday’s struggles on the edge of the top 20. Canet suffering his own turn one crash and dealing with a nose bleed - following his broken nose from a car accident between races - as he dispatched himself to the medical centre after ten minutes of action.

Dixon dropped to the danger zone in 14th as his Aspar teammate, Albert Arenas, climbed to fourth. Pedro Acosta, Fermin Aldeguer and Barry Baltus narrowly ahead of the Brit with Canet, Tony Arbolino, Joe Roberts and Ai Ogura amongst the big hitters so far facing the Q1 fight.

Italtrans’ Roberts was in fifth, and narrowly ahead of countryman Beaubier, at the halfway stage before Alonso Lopez split the pair on the Speed Up. Lowes dropping to