Moto3: Ramirez leads way as Mir crashes in FP1

Marcos Ramirez led the way as the final weekend of the 2017 MotoGP World Championship got underway at Valencia.

The sun might have been shining over the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, located just outside the city of Valencia, but it was a chilly start to the 17^th and final Grand Prix of the season for the Moto3 class.

Juanfran Guevera and Jorge Martin led the way early on, but drama would strike half way through the session with a rare crash for 2017 world champion Joan Mir, who tucked the front of his Leopard Honda at turn ten. Able to walk away from the fast crash, Mir spent the remainder of the session in the pits until he was able to return to the track for the final minute of action.

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Bo Bensneyder led the session ahead of the final five minutes, but it would all soon change with Ramirez leaving it late to storm to the top with a time of 1’39.669 to knock Jorge Martin to second. Sky VR46’s Niccolo Bulega was third, ahead of the leading Estrella Galicia 0,0 machine of Aron Canet.

Guevera ended the session fifth fastest ahead of the Red Bull KTM of Bo Bensneyder while the second Gresini machine of Fabio Di Giannantonio seventh.

Ayuma Sasaki was eighth quickest ahead of Andrea Migno with Gabriel Rodrigo rounding out the top ten.

Second in the championship, Romano Fenati struggled in the opening session to place just 14^th quickest, while Britain’s John McPhee was also some way down the timesheets in 20^th place. 

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