Veda Pratama delivered a stunning upset by claiming a historic pole position during a tense Moto3 qualifying session at Phillip Island, Australia. The Indonesian rookie showcased remarkable pace under tricky, changing weather conditions to edge out the championship favorites and secure top spot on the grid.
The Saturday morning session at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit followed earlier rain during the MotoGP practice, but the asphalt dried out just in time for Moto3 Q1. Despite lingering damp patches, riders gambled on slick tires as lap times plummeted rapidly while grip levels improved.
Pratama's journey to glory began in Q1, where he had to fight through the initial elimination phase. After setting an early benchmark, he successfully navigated the session alongside competitors like Guido Pini, Casey O’Gorman, and Eddie O’Shea to earn his promotion into the decisive pole position shootout.
In Q2, local hero Joel Kelso looked poised to secure a special home pole position aboard his Honda machine adorned with a unique Australian livery. However, drama unfolded midway through the session when raindrops returned and rain flags waved, forcing the field to keep pushing on slicks despite a crash from David Almansa at Turn 4.
The ultimate twist came in the dying seconds of the clock. World champion Maximo Quiles briefly went fastest before Pratama produced a sensational final flyer, beating the Spaniard by a mere 0.021 seconds to etch his name into motorsport history as the first Indonesian rider to take a Moto3 pole.
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