MotoGP Qatar: Guevara prevails for Moto3 pole

Gaviota Aspar’s Izan Guevara continued his impressive Qatar showing on Saturday by claiming the inaugural Moto3 pole position of 2022.

The GasGas rider left it to the dying seconds to deny session leader Ayumu Sasaki the celebrations with a 2’04.811 lap after the Sterilgarda Max rider fought through from Q1 to secure his place on the front row. Red Bull KTM’s Jaume Masia completed the Parc Fermé trio on his final effort, two-tenths adrift.

Moto3 qualifying got underway with Sasaki forced to face the Q1 fight having set his previous best lap of the weekend under yellow flags. The Husqvarna rider was joined by Sic58’s Lorenzo Fellon and Snipers man Alberto Surra alongside VisionTrack Honda’s new recruits Scott Ogden and Josh Whatley in the 15-rider battle.

KTM rookie Daniel Holgado continued to push despite a lingering preseason injury which saw the youngster require crutches for paddock life off the bike, leading the initial times with Tech3’s Adrian Fernandez following half a second behind.

The first hot laps saw Sasaki hit the front on 2’05 pace with Avintia’s Matteo Bertelle eight-tenths off in second. Stefano Nepa sat third with Holgado fourth and Ogden just adrift of promotion on his third lap of the afternoon and five riders yet to set a time.

MTA rookie Ivan Ortola was the next to strike as he made his way to second, Sasaki still the only rider inside the 2’05 bracket with three minutes left to run.

A personal best on lap five saw Ogden back to fifth with a 2’06.394 just 0.003s adrift of the final promotion place on his first weekend in the world championship as Whatley headed back to the garage after four laps.

With the chequered flag failing to find much improvement, Surra settled for seventh as Fellon’s only