After completing two tests over the last days in both Portimao and Jerez, the ‘real stuff’ started on Friday for Red Bull GASGAS Tech3’s Moto3™ squad in Doha, Qatar, as the Lusail International Circuit was hosting the opening round of the 2024 Moto3™ World Championship. Daniel Holgado and Jacob Roulstone completed the first Friday of the season, now presented in a new format as the first session of the weekends has now become ‘Free Practice’, meaning that it will not count in the combined standings. Friday afternoons will now become Practice 1, and Saturday morning's session Practice 2. The combined standings of Practice 1 and 2 will determine the fourteen riders directly qualified for the final qualifying stage.

For his third campaign in the lightweight class, Daniel Holgado will be one to watch as he will have eyes on the title. After three wins and a few other podiums in 2023, the Spaniard headed to Doha this week eager to start the fight for the crown. The number 96 started 2024 at 14:00 local time (GMT+3) with Free Practice, a session now used to warm up and get familiar with the track ahead of the next sessions. In the first session of 2024, Holgado rode a 2’04.954 that placed him sixth of FP. Later on in the day, as the sun came down and the lights turned on, the Moto3™ action resumed for Practice 1 at 18:15, for another thirty-five minutes with track conditions getting a bit cooler. As he increased the pace towards the final minutes while a surprising rain took over Lusail, Holgado ended the first day of school fastest with 2’03.606, breaking at the same time the all time lap record of the circuit. That’s what we call a good start.

Australian Jacob Roulstone made his debuts in Grand Prix on Friday as the young rookie got his Qatar Grand Prix campaign started. After two extremely positive pre-season tests in Portugal and Spain, it is fair to say that Moto3™’s new number 12 continued to impress with his capacity to find his way easily on both the new bike and a new track. In Free Practice, a 2’06.283 (2.078 seconds from the top), placed him in P20, but as the night arrived in Doha, the young rookie gained almost two seconds with a 2’04.399, which placed him eleventh. The Australian is on a good path to get his first Q2 ticket, but before that, he will have to confirm his performance, when the action resumes on Saturday with Practice 2, at 12:30 local time (GMT+3).