Veda Ega Pratama Finishes 18th in Lusail Free Practice 2
Indonesian young rider Veda Ega Pratama finished the second free practice (FP2) session of the Moto3 Qatar Grand Prix in 18th position at the Lusail International Circuit, distori.id reported. Riding for Honda Team Asia, Veda started the session with a promising seventh-place run before slipping to eighth. As the clock ticked down, his lap times dropped further behind the field as he struggled to find his rhythm on the circuit.
Malaysia’s Hakim Danish maintained a strong pace throughout the session, initially securing the second position behind Maximo Quiles, who clocked the fastest time for the CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team. By the ten-minute mark of FP2, Veda had fallen to 13th place. David Almansa later surged into second place, pushing Danish down to third behind Quiles, while Veda slid to 18th with eight minutes remaining and failed to improve before the checkered flag.
Veda Secures Q2 Entry Despite Facing Grid Penalty
Despite his difficult run in FP2, Veda secured a direct entry into Qualifying 2 (Q2) by finishing fifth in the earlier Practice session with a lap time of 2 minutes 03,561 seconds, according to Kompas. Maximo Quiles topped that session with a time of 2 minutes 03,172 seconds, leading David Almansa and David Munoz, MotoGP reported. However, Veda enters the weekend facing a six-grid penalty for the main race after the FIM MotoGP Stewards Panel found that he ignored yellow flags in sector 11 during the first free practice session, ANTARA reported.
Honda Team Asia teammate Zen Mitani missed out on a direct Q2 spot after failing to match his earlier speed in the afternoon session, Kompas noted. Meanwhile, Red Bull KTM Ajo riders Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte also missed direct Q2 qualification, finishing 15th and 21st respectively, according to MotoGP. Veda’s six-grid penalty marks his second yellow-flag infringement of the season following a similar incident during practice in Motegi, Japan, as reported by ANTARA.
Past Comeback Precedent at Brno
The six-grid drop adds a familiar hurdle for the 17-year-old Indonesian rookie. CNN Indonesia reported that Veda previously overcame a 12-position grid penalty at the Czech Republic Grand Prix in Brno after running too slowly in qualifying. Starting from 20th instead of his earned eighth position on his Honda NSF250RW, Veda charged through the field to finish fifth, just 0.9 seconds behind race winner Hakim Danish.
Qualifying for the Moto3 Qatar Grand Prix takes place on Saturday evening starting at 20.50 WIB, with the main race scheduled for Sunday, November 8, 2026, according to MotoGP and ANTARA records.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Moto3 Qatar Grand Prix
Why did Veda Ega Pratama receive a grid penalty in Qatar?
The FIM MotoGP Stewards Panel penalized Veda for ignoring yellow flags and setting a fast lap time in sector 11 during the first free practice session at Lusail.
Where will Veda start the main race after qualifying?
Veda must start Sunday’s main race six positions further back than his final position in the qualifying session due to his FP1 penalty.
Who recorded the fastest lap during the Friday Practice session?
Maximo Quiles of the CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team led the Practice session with a lap time of 2 minutes 03,172 seconds.
Earlier coverage: Veda Ega Pratama Sixth in Qatar FP1 as Quiles Fastest
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