Image: Supplied.

A positive three-day test at Portimao for Joel Kelso has the Australian Moto3 rookie excited for the first round of the championship at Qatar in just under two weeks’ time.

The 17-year-old completed over 100 laps across the final official pre-season test, working on set up around the undulating 4.592km circuit and building positive sensations on the 2022 KTM Moto3 machine.

“I’m super-happy about how the test went,” Kelso explained. “I think that me and the team had worked very well and also we got a very good set-up – I’m happy with how everything went. Now, I can’t wait to get started in Qatar and see how goes there.”

Kelso ended 25th fastest on day three, a best lap of 1m48.607s seeing him just 1.79s from pace-setter Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). The CIP Green Power rider has historically been strong at the Portimao circuit, winning there last year in the Moto3 Junior World Championship and securing his first Moto3 World Championship points at the venue in a wildcard outing.

Beginning his first full Moto3 World Championship assault on 4-6 March at Losail, Kelso now turns his attention to a circuit he has not yet ridden in Qatar, but is eager to make a successful full-time debut outing under the lights.