Salac shakes off the field in P3 stunner

With damp conditions in the opening stages of the session, tensions were high as the Moto2™  riders headed out on track for their final shot to secure a place in Q2. Filip Salac (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2) rose to the occasion setting the new fastest lap of the weekend with a 2:09.385 as the Czech rider heads into Q2 on top. Barry Baltus (Fieten Olie Racing GP) gave everything to set a scintillating pace just 0.154s shy of the top spot, and 0.197s clear of Tony Arbolino (Elf MarcVDS Racing Team) in 3rd.

The two BETA Tools SpeedUp riders of Alonso Lopez (BETA Tools SpeedUP) and Fermin Aldeguer were caught out by the damp conditions in the opening stages of the session, throwing their Boscoscura machines up the road. Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) also fell victim to the conditions as he ventured across the inside curb in sector two and lost the rear on the slick paint. The SpeedUp team managed to get Lopez's bike back to the pitlane and sent the Spaniard back on the circuit, but with just 20 seconds remaining was unable to improve and will face the Q1 session.

Aron Canet (Pons Wegwow Los40) had technical issues with his Kalex machine with ten minutes left of Practice 3 which saw the Spaniard unable to improve on his lap time from Friday, the Spaniard had already done enough however securing 10th spot and a place in Q2.

It was a mixed emotions for the Elf Marc VDS squad as Arbolino put the hammer down in the final 5 minutes to fly to the top of the timing screens with two successive hot laps from the Italian. In the meantime the Italian's teammate Sam Lowes crashed out of the session whilst sat in P3, dropping down to P7 by the end of the session.

Barry Baltus then carried his strong form from Friday to shock the paddock and place himself on top of the pile. Acosta was looking strong in the dying minutes of the session with red sectors halfway around the lap but only managed to slot himself into P3. The Spaniard then had a big moment on the brakes into Turn 1, as all the weight of his KTM machine rushed to the front of the bike lifting the rear wheel in the air in dramatic fashion. With just over one minute of the session to go the Red Bull KTM Ajo man had lost his lap and was unable to improve further.

With the flag out it was Salac who moved the goalposts once again putting down the fastest lap of the weekend to go top, knocking Baltus, Arbolino, and Acosta down to 2nd 3rd, and 4th respectively.

Make sure to tune in for Moto2™ Qualifying which is at 13:45 local time (GMT -5)!