Red Bull KTM Ajo riders Niccolo Antonelli and Bo Bendsneyder will start the Catalan GP from the fourth and fifth rows of the grid, respectively, after a demanding qualifying session at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit. Amidst track temperatures that reached as high as 50ºC, Antonelli placed tenth and Bendsneyder fifteenth –although the latter will move up a position due to a penalty given to another rider. Both are satisfied with the pace shown in Free Practice, and are targetting a podium finish on Sunday. The Moto3 riders had to adapt to another change to the track, with the chicane returning to the previous F1 layout. Antonelli and Bendsneyder adapted to the modification in a first stint with used tyres. After going out for a second run with new tyres, they rode together and moved up to the sharp end of the standings. The Italian was the fastest of the two, at one point placing second. He finished sixth and Bendsneyder fourteenth. Once again, strategy played an important role in qualifying. The Red Bull KTM Ajo riders went out together in search of the fastest possible time. In the end, practically the entire Moto3 grid put in their quickest lap in the last 4 minutes, with everyone out on track at the same time. Antonelli was tenth quickest -1:54.331-, while Bendsneyder was fifteenth -1:54.474.
64 BO BENDSNEYDER
“It has not been our best result in a qualifying session, but our pace is not bad -especially what we did in FP3. I’m also satisfied with my feeling on the bike, although we can still improve. Now we will look at the data and see what else we can change, but I can’t wait to see what the race will bring. The new chicane is a little different from the old one, and I like it more because it is faster. I don’t know what tomorrow’s race will be like, as Moto3 is always very unpredictable. I suppose that a lot of groups will be formed, we will try to fight to be as far forward as possible and get a good result.”
Results QP:
| Pos | Rider | Team | Fastest lap |
| 1 | Jorge MARTIN | Del Conca Gresini Moto3 | 1’53.368 |
| 2 | Aron CANET | Estrella Galicia 0,0 | 1’53.995 |
| 3 | Juanfran GUEVARA | RBA BOE Racing Team | 1’54.027 |
| 4 | Romano FENATI | Marinelli Rivacold Snipers | 1’54.031 |
| 5 | Joan MIR | Leopard Racing | 1’54.036 |
| 6 | Marcos RAMIREZ | Platinum Bay Real Estate | 1’54.126 |
| 7 | Enea BASTIANINI | Estrella Galicia 0,0 | 1’54.151 |
| 8 | Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO | Del Conca Gresini Moto3 | 1’54.201 |
| 9 | Tatsuki SUZUKI | SIC58 Squadra Corse | 1’54.316 |
| 10 | Niccolò ANTONELLI | Red Bull KTM Ajo | 1’54.331 |
| 11 | Gabriel RODRIGO | RBA BOE Racing Team | 1’54.379 |
| 12 | Lorenzo DALLA PORTA | Aspar Mahindra Moto3 | 1’54.395 |
| 13 | Tony ARBOLINO | SIC58 Squadra Corse | 1’54.421 |
| 14 | Nicolo BULEGA | SKY Racing Team VR46 | 1’54.436 |
| 15 | Bo BENDSNEYDER | Red Bull KTM Ajo | 1’54.474 |
| 16 | Kaito TOBA | Honda Team Asia | 1’54.535 |
| 17 | Philipp OETTL | Südmetall Schedl GP Racing | 1’54.589 |
| 18 | Andrea MIGNO | SKY Racing Team VR46 | 1’54.826 |
| 19 | John MCPHEE | British Talent Team | 1’54.876 |
| 20 | Ayumu SASAKI | SIC Racing Team | 1’54.899 |
| 21 | Jules DANILO | Marinelli Rivacold Snipers | 1’54.917 |
| 22 | Darryn BINDER | Platinum Bay Real Estate | 1’55.018 |
| 23 | Livio LOI | Leopard Racing | 1’55.141 |
| 24 | Nakarin ATIRATPHUVAPAT | Honda Team Asia | 1’55.149 |
| 25 | Marco BEZZECCHI | CIP | 1’55.158 |
| 26 | Manuel PAGLIANI | CIP | 1’55.197 |
| 27 | Vicente PEREZ | Reale Avintia Academy | 1’55.218 |
| 28 | Maria HERRERA | AGR Team | 1’55.561 |
| 29 | Jakub KORNFEIL | Peugeot MC Saxoprint | 1’55.611 |
| 30 | Adam NORRODIN | SIC Racing Team | 1’55.625 |
| 31 | Aleix VIU | 42 Motorsport | 1’56.490 |
| 32 | Patrik PULKKINEN | Peugeot MC Saxoprint | 1’56.672 |
Source: motogp.com, ajo.fi
