The 2025 Australian Moto3 Grand Prix witnessed an exhilarating Friday practice session, with David Almansa making a bold statement. He set a new record lap time of 1m 34.726s at Phillip Island, showcasing his prowess and setting the pace for qualifying. The track conditions were challenging, with a drying surface and persistent wind, which tested the riders' skills. Almansa's performance was remarkable, especially after facing setbacks in the opening session, including two falls. He finished ahead of the newly crowned champion, Jose Antonio Rueda, who trailed by a mere two-bike slipstream, highlighting the competitive nature of the race.
The Honda rider, David Almansa, is in a crucial position, facing a potential race-day penalty for an incident in Indonesia. He took out Taiyo Furusato, who then collided with Alvaro Carpe, resulting in a domino effect into the gravel. Despite this, Almansa's performance on Friday was impressive, securing the top spot. Adrian Fernandez, his teammate, closely followed in second place, just 0.392s behind, demonstrating the tight competition.
Alvaro Carpe, the top rookie, finished in third place for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team, showcasing his late improvement. Angel Piqueras and Joel Kelso also made their mark, securing fourth and fifth places, respectively. Guido Pini, Maximo Quiles, and Luca Lunetta completed the top six, with Rueda in seventh. Stefano Nepa and Jacob Roulstone, both on Honda, secured eighth and ninth, respectively, with Nepa closely following Roulstone.
The remaining Q2 places were filled by Joel Esteban and Ryusei Yamanaka, who replaced Dennis Foggia and Dennis Foggia's replacement, respectively. The session saw a mix of KTM and Honda riders, with a few surprises and close battles. The race promises to be an exciting one, with the top riders pushing the limits and battling for positions.
The opening session, FP1, was a slippery affair due to damp track conditions, with Tatchakorn Buasri and Brian Uriarte crashing early. Uriarte, the current Junior GP series leader, replaced David Munoz, who broke his leg in an incident involving Fernandez. Cormac Buchanan and Joel Esteban also encountered crashes, adding to the session's drama. Despite the challenges, Fernandez emerged as the top performer, followed by Quiles, who was the best rookie. Almansa, despite pushing the limits, finished third, with Esteban and Kelso in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Eddie O'Shea, unfortunately, faced issues with limited laps and a bike problem, resulting in a 17th-place finish for the MLav Racing team. The session's results highlighted the competitive nature of the Moto3 championship, with riders pushing their limits and battling for positions. The race day is set to be an intense affair, with the top riders vying for the championship title.
