Yesterday the Repsol Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP riders had mixed luck in Catalunya

The Repsol riders had a day of mixed fortunes, some did better and others worse, but for now yesterday was the free practice sessions, so it’s all about getting to work in FP3, which will start shortly, and then fighting for pole position in all three categories.

In the Moto3 category we have seen the Estrella Galícia 0.0 riders with pace, fighting, getting their small-category machines ready for today’s sessions and above all for the race at the Circuit de Catalunya. The fastest was Miguel Oliveira, who finished 4th, while for Álex Rins and Álex Márquez things went worse, finishing 17th and 18th at the end of the first day.

The first practice session went better for all of them, but then in FP2 they could not improve much and fell behind. Still, they will surely seek their best setup today to be at the front, so keep your eyes on Rins and Márquez, who know this circuit very well and could pull off a surprise. It also depends on how the asphalt holds up today.

Statements from Miguel Oliveira:

The first impressions are good, although we are still a bit far from the top three, our goal.

We will analyse different details of the bike to see where we can improve those tenths that separate us from the leaders, and for my part, I will also analyse how I can make the bike go faster. Either way, I am quite happy and tomorrow we have a lot of work ahead.

We have no pressure at all, so we are going to focus on improving the rear end of the bike, since I do not feel very confident in that area. Timed laps are important, but above all having good race pace and making a good start.

Statements from Álex Rins:

A complicated day. It has not been a very positive day for us; we struggled a lot to find our rhythm, although it is true that we still have a lot to do ahead of tomorrow’s sessions.

I did not feel comfortable at any point in the session, and that was not due to any technical problem; the fault was all mine. The goal for tomorrow is very clear: to improve on today’s performance. In the middle of the run we tried a tyre that we did not like very much, and it was hard to return to the pace shown during the morning session.

Statements from Álex Márquez:

In the morning I was happier, but little by little we have been improving the bike. The tyres will be a key factor to consider here at the Circuit de Catalunya, and we will also have to take into account how my shoulder reacts in these conditions, since I hope that tomorrow we can be at one hundred percent.

We must keep moving forward each day and improve on the times of the previous day. Our goal is nothing other than to add kilometres and experience in the World Championship.

In Moto2 things have not gone very well for Marc Márquez; the number 93 rider has not been able to set his usual pace, although he has been focused mainly on fine-tuning the settings with an eye on today’s timed session, but he has not managed to find that extra edge with his Suter.

In the combined total of the two free practice sessions on Friday, the Repsol rider set the sixteenth best time of the day, which is unusual, but he will surely improve today; Márquez is a fighter and will be causing trouble.

Statements from Marc Márquez:

The truth is that today has been a bit of a struggle, more so in the afternoon, because in the morning I felt quite comfortable. The important thing is that we obtained positive conclusions and have clear ideas about where we must improve tomorrow, because this afternoon we worked on a direction that we saw went worse, so we will have to go back and try something different. I think free practice is for that, and from here on, we will see whether tomorrow we can continue preparing for the race, which is the most important thing.

I had various problems, first at the front end, then at the rear, and in general I was not really comfortable on the bike. I do not think that will be a problem tomorrow, since it has allowed us to see what works and what does not. My hand only bothers me when I get off the bike; when I am riding I feel nothing.

The MotoGP riders, Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner, have also had their moments on this first day of practice at the Circuit de Catalunya. In FP1 they went very well, but then in FP2 they did not set times among the leaders, although this should be qualified because both decided not to use the soft tyre in a free practice session, focusing on working hard with the hard tyre.

In this way, Pedrosa finished 7th on the first day, while Stoner closed from 8th position on this first day of practice at the Circuit de Catalunya, but surely for today they will be ready to fight, and without a doubt both Pedrosa and Stoner are favourites for the battle for pole position, as is Jorge Lorenzo.

Statements from Dani Pedrosa:

Our main objective today was to test the tyres properly, because it will be important to make a good choice for the race. In the past the soft tyre has sometimes worked well here when it has been very hot, but we do not yet know how many laps it will be effective for. In the morning we used the soft tyre for the whole session and in the afternoon only the hard one, and I went well with both compounds, almost matching the time.

Those who finished ahead ran the soft tyre, so I am calm and not at all worried about today’s position. It is true that they improved by almost a second in the afternoon, so we will have to see whether that soft tyre can last the race laps in such heat. Twenty-five laps is really a lot; you spend a long time leaning over and it is important to keep the tyres until the end. Tomorrow we will keep improving details and look for a good setup for the official session.

Statements from Casey Stoner:

It was good to have good weather and for the conditions not to change during the day. It is very hot on the track and I think we are all suffering a bit with the soft tyre. In the afternoon we fitted the hard one and it seems to be a little more consistent. We are still not completely comfortable with the bike and we can improve in that respect, but we are fairly satisfied with our pace.

Many riders treated this afternoon’s session as if it were qualifying, fitting the soft tyre at the end of the session, but that is their choice. There are many things to test before tomorrow’s official session; we have to keep working on reducing the chattering and a few other details, but overall we are quite happy.

Source | Repsol Media Service