Miguel Oliveira – Photo Credit: MotoGP.com
Home favourite Miguel Oliveira clocked the fastest time on Friday afternoon at Estoril as Estrella Galicia 0,0’s strong start to 2012 continued. The Monlau Competicion squad took pole last weekend courtesy of Alex Rins and will head into tomorrow’s qualifying session with intentions of back-to-back poles after Oliveira’s display today.
The session was led for the most part by Sandro Cortese as the KTM-powered runners enjoyed a straight-line speed advantage. The Red Bull Ajo rider was the first man into the 1:50s as the Moto3 field finally got down to some dry running. Cortese quickly dropped into the 1:49s and pulled out a one-second advantage but Oliveira got on terms with him 15 minutes from time.
Cortese hit back and moved into the mid-1:48s but once again, Oliveira went with him and sneaked in front of him by 14 thousandths of a second. Luis Salom was the only other rider within half a second of the ultimate pace in third while Maverick Vinales finished fourth despite having a lap time deleted for overtaking under yellow flags.
Alexis Masbou was a surprise fifth ahead of championship leader Romano Fenati who stayed out of trouble to take sixth on his first visit to Estoril. Danny Kent bounced back from a tough race in Jerez with the seventh fastest time with Louis Rossi, Adrian Martin and Kent’s teammate Arthur Sissis rounding out the top ten.
Danny Webb dragged his underpowered Mahindra up to 22nd, over a second quicker than his teammate Marcel Schrotter who crashed in the morning, but it was a tough day for wildcard rider Kevin Hanus who heavily damaged his Honda with a crash at the Parabolica.
Moto3 Grande Premio de Portugal Circuito Estoril: Combined Friday Practice Times