MotoGP Le Mans: Rookie Acosta breaks record in Moto2 FP3

Red Bull KTM’s rookie sensation Pedro Acosta continued to make headlines with a new Moto2 lap record at Le Mans on Saturday morning.

The Spaniard’s 1’35.861 bettered his teammate Augusto Fernandez with Somkiat Chantra’s FP1 effort keeping him firmly in the top three overall. Sam Lowes competed the session in fourth with Jake Dixon securing his Q2 charge from 12th at the flag.

Lowes was back in charge as final practice got underway in France on Saturday morning. His 1’36.249 lap sitting him third overall in the combined times with Elf Marc VDS teammate Tony Arbolino three-tenths back and second in the session. Ai Ogura and Albert Arenas circulated in check on the Honda and Aspar machines respectively as the opening ten minutes settled in. Lorenzo Dalla Porta bringing the Italtrans into contention in fourth on his fifth lap of FP3.

Augusto Fernandez avoided joining the turn three club with an impressive save in the opening 15-minutes as Ogura swept through to second. Somkiat Chantra running fourth in the session on the second Honda Team Asia, seven-tenths shy of his Friday target before a regrouped Fernandez bettered for third on the Red Bull KTM.

The hallway stage found Aron Canet circulating tenth on the Flexbox HP40 with Cameron Beaubier and Celestino Vietti less than a tenth behind. The American rising quickly to seventh as he found his rhythm at the French track - one of just three frontrunners to have improved on their Friday efforts - with Pedro Acosta and Fermin Aldeguer now either side.

Jake Dixon ran wide then crashed the Aspar out at turn 13 as the second half began. The Brit sitting tenth in the Q2 promotion zone as Beaubier continued his climb to sixth overall.

The final ten minutes brought the action as Jorge