Spanish youngster Jaume Masia achieved a significant career milestone by securing pole position in WorldSSP qualifying at Misano, while championship frontrunner Stefano Manzi endured a difficult session that saw him slip down the order.
Friday’s qualifying session unfolded under ideal conditions at the Italian venue, with Masia demonstrating superior pace throughout the 45-minute session. The Orelac Racing VerdNatura rider posted a benchmark time of 1’37.119s, marking his first pole position since his Moto3 campaign in 2023.
The front row was completed by Mattia Casadei, who delivered an impressive performance for Motozoo ME Air Racing in second place, followed by Dutch rider Bo Bendsneyder aboard his MV Agusta Reparto Corse machine. Casadei’s result represents a strong return to form following his recent comeback to the championship, while Bendsneyder showed renewed competitiveness after a challenging period.
Row two features Marcel Schroetter, who came tantalizingly close to front-row qualification, alongside Can Oncu, who emerged as the leading Yamaha representative in the session. Valentin Debise rounded out the top six with a remarkable recovery drive after spending much of the session struggling for pace.
The session’s most significant drama involved current championship leader Stefano Manzi, who crashed at turn 16 while pushing for an improved lap time. This setback dropped him to tenth place, a disappointing result at his home circuit where he had hoped to strengthen his championship position.
Multiple incidents punctuated the session, with crashes affecting Roberto Garcia, Luke Power, Aldi Mahendra, Lucas Mahias, and Yuki Okamoto, highlighting the challenges that Misano presents when riders push to the absolute limit.
