2017 Austin MotoGP Moto3 FP3 Result: Fenati Joins The Party

What began as another session dominated by Aron Canet – easily the fastest rider in the first two practices – ended with dual surprises when Jorge Martin and then Romano Fenati pushed the young Spaniard off the top of the timesheet at the session’s end.

Fenati’s 2’16.273 – the fastest Moto3 lap of the weekend so far -- came on his final lap at Saturday’s FP3 under cool conditions and cloudy skies. Jorge Martin finished the session at the Circuit of the Americas track two-tenths back with Canet another two-tenths in arrears to end the session as third quickest.

The trio were the only three riders to drop into the 2’16s. Darryn Binder led the 2'17 pack with the fourth fastest time -- a leap forward from his FP2 time that left him down at 15th on the timesheet. Enea Bastianini (5th) appears to be be finding more consistency than he has shown in his first two races. Nicolo Bulega, who neared the top of the timesheet early in the session, was pushed down to sixth near the end of practice. 

Canet dominated the session early on the first rider to drop into the 2'17s. Bulega briefly pushed the 17-year-old, second-year rider into second but then Canet answered back with the first 2'16 lap of the session. He would hold that top spot for nearly all of FP3 but riders began inching closer. First Martin and then Fenati pushed him back and the final seconds ticked away. Canet, however, also appeared to be on a fast final lap when he was balked by another rider.

Joan Mir, winner of the first two races in 2017, ended the session in 14th place more than a second off the pace.

Results: