The 2016 series of flyaway Moto3 rounds began on Friday with the first day of free practice for the Japanese GP. On a day of good weather at Twin Ring Motegi, Brad Binder took to the track for the first time as World Champion. The day was not an easy one for the Red Bull KTM Ajo riders, as both Binder a and teammate Bo Bendsneyder suffered crashes; on the combined timesheets, the pair placed twelfth and nineteenth, respectively. Binder started the day in a way that has become habitual this season, topping the timesheets on the opening laps. The South African would hold the lead position
until a light crash at Turn 3 with 8 minutes remaining, preventing him from improving his lap times and relegating him to second place –1:57.672–. Bendsneyder stuck to his teammate in order to be able to quickly learn a new track for him –ninth position; 1:58.226. The rookie also crashed, escaping unhurt, 2 minutes before the end of the session at Turn 1. The second Free Practice session did not start well for Binder, who suffered a second crash of the day 14 minutes in –losing the front at Turn 7. Despite it only being a small crash, he did not get back on track and completed the day with a total of just 17 laps. His best time in the second session was a 1:58.612 –21st place. Meanwhile, Bendsneyder was also unable to lower his morning time, clocking a best lap of 1:58.309 in FP2 that left him in eighteenth position.
Results FP2:
Source: ajo.fi, motogp.com
