Ayumu Sasaki Leads Moto3 Qualifying at Phillip Island as Kelso and Nepa Close Behind
Japan’s Ayumu Sasaki, riding for Husqvarna, secured the fifth pole position of the season and the eighth pole of his Moto3 career. He topped the official classification at Phillip Island during the Australian Grand Prix, ahead of local rider Joel Kelso aboard a CFMoto and Italian racer Stefano Nepa on a KTM. Sasaki’s pace stood out on a challenging track layout, where a mix of weather conditions and a short qualifying window left teams chasing track position rather than competing in large groups. His timed laps demonstrated a precise and assertive approach, choosing a direct line and pushing the limits in practice, which paid dividends when it mattered most in the session’s final minutes.
There were plenty of drivers who wished their rivals would lose a bit of edge on the steering. Yet it was the weathered reality of the day that rewarded those who preferred solo runs over packed sprint laps. In the end, the front rows reflected a strategy focused on clean progression and single-lap speed rather than race-day tactics. The fastest laps came from riders who trusted their own rhythm and did not rely on catching others; this yielded a performance where a lone rider could squeeze out a fraction more time on a tight course with limited overtaking opportunities on the final sectors.
The former leader of the category, Spain’s Daniel Holgado on a KTM, showed meaningful drive from the outset as he attempted to move from the top tier into a higher pace. He initially led the pack, besting Ryusei Yamanaka, who runs a KTM program, and a strong surge from Taiyo Furusato aboard a Honda. Italian rider Filippo Farioli, also on a KTM, joined the midfield fight in the early stages as the session progressed. Other riders from the field pressed hard to secure a place within the second tier, while Iván Ortolá achieved his goal in the closing moments by the slimmest of margins over Syarifuddin Azman of KTM, holding an advantage of just eighty-five thousandths of a second in the final lap’s chaos. Ortolá’s late surge underscored how every fraction of a second can redefine the session’s layout and set the tone for Sunday’s race pace.
In this qualifying event one notable outcome was the exclusion of certain rivals from the second class due to technical issues or breaches of minimum time regulations. Among them were Spaniards José Antonio Rueda, David Salvador, and Xavier Artigas, along with English rider Scott Ogden, who faced a setback caused by persistent technical problems that prevented a competitive time from being recorded. The absence of these riders altered the dynamic of the second group and emphasized how reliability and consistency are as critical as outright speed in this category.
On track for the second class, Joel Kelso, a local favorite, demonstrated calm confidence while guiding his own line around the circuit. He did not chase the flow of his rivals but instead focused on carving a personal, efficient trail through the course’s most demanding sections. David Alonso, a Gas Gas rider with Colombian roots, was the first substantial benchmark in the official timing, but Sasaki quickly surpassed him, establishing a mark nearly half a second faster. Behind the leading duo, Dutch rider Collin Veijer aboard a Husqvarna impressed with his pace, followed by Turkish rider Deniz Öncü on a KTM and Spaniard Adrián Fernández on a Honda as the field jostled for position.
During the second time attack, Kelso rose to runner-up as he overtook Alonso by turning into turn four and then bravely attempted a comeback onto the asphalt. An overzealous moment on the grass caused a tumble as he pressed to reclaim the perfect lap. World championship leader Jaume Masiá tried to distance himself from the pack by threading a path through a workshop street section; however, he misjudged the pace and saw the checkered flag early, leaving him twelfth on the grid and in a position far from his anticipated starting slot. The day’s complexity showed that a handful of riders misread the track’s flow, resulting in unexpected grid placements and a scramble for the best possible position.
Not all riders benefited from the day’s uneven balance. Sasaki, Kelso, and Nepa claimed the top spots in the first row, followed by Brazilian rider Diogo Moreira and Italian Matteo Bertelle, both aboard KTM, with Veijer securing a strong second-place effort. Öncü, Alonso, and Fernández completed the top three in a tight cluster that reflected the depth of talent in the field. Four Spaniards reached the fourth row thanks to late improvements, including Vicente Pérez, Daniel Holgado, and Iván Ortolá, alongside Masiá. Japanese rider Kaito Toba on a Honda and David Muñoz on a KTM filled out the remaining positions, illustrating the global reach and competitive depth of Moto3 as it heads into the weekend’s races.