Both Moto2 and Moto3 will change to the MotoGP qualifying format of two sessions from next season in the latest shake-up by organisers.
Following the success of the MotoGP Q1 and Q2 system, which sees the top 10 fastest riders from combined practice times automatically enter Q2 and joined by the fastest two riders in Q1, a similar format will be used in the two support classes in 2019.
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Given the bigger grids in each class, the top 14 from combined practice times will automatically qualify for Q2 before being joined by the four fastest riders in Q1 – meaning Q2 will decide the front six rows of the grid in Moto2 and Moto3. In MotoGP Q2 sorts the front four rows of the grid.
Each qualifying session will last 15 minutes, the same as MotoGP’s format, with minor tweaks made to Friday’s and Saturday’s schedules (see below).
The changes were pushed through to shake-up excitement in qualifying for both classes while also aiming to avoid the issue of riders looking for tows and therefore riding slowly – which has caused a high rate of grid penalties in recent seasons.
“After discussion with teams and reviewing the current situation in Moto3, with many riders waiting and riding slowly and considering the experience in Moto2 at various races where the fastest times have been set at the beginning of the Qualifying Practice, it has been decided to change to a qualifying format similar to that of the MotoGP,” an FIM statement confirmed.
“It is expected that this system will also bring a more entertaining format for the fans as well as preparing the young riders for the same system of classification as the premier class.”
