The humid, greasy conditions𒈔 that greeted round eighteen as the paddock arrived in Malaysia to begin the run in to the end of the season did nothing to slow Masia, who stamped his a🅺uthority down in Sepang with a new lap record in Moto3 qualifying.

A new best of 2m 10.846s came as the Leopard Honda rider earned an early slips💦tream before ꧅finding solo track space to nurture his progress.

Hitting the main group on track provided him with one final, huge tow over the line to be 0.906s clear of his nearest rival, finishing the session in the pits confident his ti꧟me would not be bested.

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The person to get closest was top rookie Collin Veijer, who motored on after getting to grips with the conditions in Q1 for Liqui Moly Husqvꦰarna Intact GP.

The front row was completed by Matteo Ber꧋telle, close𝓀 on times with his Dutch rival, the Rivacold Snipers rider was third, but only just.

Ivan Ortola brie🍎fly topped the timesheets with the lap that sees him start fourth on Sunday for the Angeluss Team.

Ayumu Sasaki worked with teammate Veijer on his promotion from Q1, that saw him claim fifth to be Masℱia’s neꦏarest rival in the championship and on the grid.

Jose Antonio Rudea moved through Q1 for🍷 sixth for Red Bull KTM Ajo.

Joel Kelso’s late run moved his CFMoto Pruestel bike into seventh late on, ahead of David Munoz for BOE Motorspor𒁏ts.

Oncu frustrated in ninth

Deniz Oncu had showed great pace as he finished P3꧑ second after running solo.

Come qualifying he cut an increasingly frustrated figure as he seemed to not feel he ཧgot the best of working with fellow Red Bull rider Rueda. The rookie, like Veijer, had gained valuable information on grip in Q1 and when in behind the Turkish rider on a fast lap it ensured he did not follow him wide behind, leading Rueda to the then ea🐭rly top time.

On his turn behind Oncu was quick ontඣo the back wheel, leaving him unable to get the most from the slipstream. He spent💝 much of the close of the session shaking his fists and his head in frustration.

Diogo Moreira completed the top ten after✃ some smart work to make time up in the ꦦgroup for MT Helmets - MSI.

Romano Fenati secured eleventh on his return with the Snipers tea♍m🌌, just ahead of Ryusei Yamanaka on the timesheets for Aspar.

Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Daniel Holgado fired himself into Q2 with a new lap record in the morning practice session but could not get close to his own time, only 15th as his record was quickl📖y surpassed by Masia.

What happened in Q1?  

Solo running was the order of the day in the first session, 💃seeing Veijer 𒆙ease on with the top time. He was joined by Rueda, who made the same tactic work on the Red Bull, Xavier Artigas (13th) and Vincente Perez.

Thailand podium finishers fail to get out of Q1

All of the podium finishers from the last race in Th💝ailand fou♋nd themselves in the first qualifying session. Veijer made a quick exit but the fate of the other rostrum visitors was not as positive.

Rookie David Alonso, currently third in the championship suffered a huge late fall at turn three, brining out the yellow flags, ending his own chances of mov𒐪ing on and cancelling all the remaining flying laps in the process. He was🌸 seventh at the end of the session, so starts 21st.

Taiyo Furusato couldn’t get in the Sepang groove either, the Honda Team Asia rider🅘 was sixth behind Mario Aji who just missed out, to line up 20th.

Scott Ogden was back to being top VisionTrack rider after missing out in practice. He starts 22nd with teammate Joshua Whatley 27th 🧸after an early return to his garage.

Syarifuddin Azman starts his home💟 race in 28th for MT🐈Helmets - MSI.

Injuries and replacements

Perez (17th) is the only remaining replacement as he continued to fill in for long ter🐓m absentee Ana Carrasco at BOE Mot൩orsports.