Veijer starts the 2024 season finale from row 1, Suzuki strong on row 4
LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto3 rider Collin Veijer once again grabbed second place on the grid for the big Moto3 season finale at the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona, while Tatsuki Suzuki secured a strong tenth place on the grid in row four after passing through from Q1.
The Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona is a special event. Not only does it host the grand finale of the 2024 season, it is also being held in solidarity with the victims of the Valencia flood disaster. In order to make this special weekend something big on a personal level, Collin Veijer has put himself in the perfect position for his last dance in the Moto3 World Championship for a brilliant finale, in which the Dutchman will still be in contention for the runner-up world title. But before the 19-year-old set off on his final 18 Moto3 laps from second on the grid, he had to work hard on the 4.66 kilometre Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to find the ideal pace in the short time available. As so often this season, he managed to do this in perfect style, which gives him hope for the start of the race at 11:00 (CET).
For Tatsuki Suzuki, the start to the final race weekend was tough in the truest sense of the word, as the Japanese rider crashed off his Husqvarna twice on Friday, but fortunately remained unharmed. The cold temperatures on the first day of practice were a maximum of 15°C, which is in no way comparable to the conditions of the May race, which is why a completely new set-up had to be worked out. On Saturday, the 27-year-old veteran managed to improve, not only setting his best time of the weekend so far in P2, but also making it through Q1 with flying colours and finishing fastest in the subsequent Qualifying 2. He finished this in a strong tenth place, therefore Suzuki will start the big season finale on Sunday from tenth on the grid in row four, where he is hoping for a strong result.
Results
FP
1. Angel PIQUERAS/ SPA/ HONDA – 1'47.281
2. David MUÑOZ/ SPA/ KTM – 1'47.691 (+0.410)
3. David ALONSO/ COL/ CFMOTO – 1'47.897 (+0.616)
9. Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 1'48.328 (+1.047)
14. Tatsuki SUZUKI/ JPN/ HUSQVARNA – 1'48.604 (+1.323)
P1
1. Daniel HOLGADO/ SPA/ GASGAS – 1'46.568
2. David MUÑOZ/ SPA/ KTM – 1'46.649 (+0.081)
3. Angel PIQUERAS/ SPA/ HONDA – 1'46.742 (+0.174)
5. Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 1'46.855 (+0.287)
16. Tatsuki SUZUKI/ JPN/ HUSQVARNA – 1'47.364 (+0.796)
P2
1. Ivan ORTOLA/ SPA/ KTM – 1'46.364
2. David ALONSO/ COL/ CFMOTO – 1'46.439 (+0.075)
3. Jacob ROULSTONE/ AUS/ GASGAS - 1'46.751 (+0.387)
11. Tatsuki SUZUKI/ JPN/ HUSQVARNA – 1'47.192 (+0.828)
14. Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 1'47.559 (+1.195)
Q1
1. Tatsuki SUZUKI/ JPN/ HUSQVARNA – 1'47.301
2. Matteo BERTELLE/ ITA/ HONDA – 1'47.355 (+0.054)
3. Taiyo FURUSATO/ JPN/ HONDA – 1'47.627 (+0.326)
Q2
1. David ALONSO/ COL/ CFMOTO – 1'45.905
2. Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 1'46.252 (+0.347)
3. Ivan ORTOLA/ SPA/ KTM – 1'46.276 (+0.371)
10. Tatsuki SUZUKI/ JPN/ HUSQVARNA – 1'46.853 (+0.948)
