Twin Ring Motegi Sprint Race Quote Machine
"Marc Marquez confirms its role as a one-man show"
by Sprouts Elder
Saturday, October 5, 2024
MotoGP PR
Bagnaia capitalises as Acosta slides out and Bastianini duels Marquez at MotegiThe Italian wins an incredible Tissot Sprint ahead of a charging Bastianini and Marquez, cutting the points gap to 15 as Martin fails to take a podium
Saturday, 05 October 2024
The gap in the Championship is back down to 15 points after a rollercoaster Tissot Sprint at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan. Reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) lands the spoils as he stayed flawless under pressure at the front, taking over after a heartbreaker crash out the lead for rookie and polesitter Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3).
The podium behind was then decided by a spectacular Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) vs Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) showdown, before the two then also homed in on Bagnaia for an incredibly close finish over the line. Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) came home fourth, moving forward from a tough qualifying but unable to quite get into the rostrum fight.
Bagnaia got a scrappier start but was able to make it back, just getting it under control in the braking area to nab the holeshot from Acosta. Bastianini then briefly got ahead of Acosta in the early stages before the rookie hit back, and behind them Martin and Marquez had made big gains. After the first shuffle concluded, Bagnaia, Acosta, Bastianini and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the leading quartet ahead of a small gap back to the #89-#93 duo in fifth and sixth.
The fireworks started there on Lap 2. Marquez went for it at T10 and got it done, but the two stayed close together in the race to catch the front four and Martin wasn’t ultimately able to reply. There were then more fireworks at the front as Acosta went for a late dive for the lead at Turn 5, likewise making that stick and forcing Bagnaia to tuck in behind. Bastianini remained close company too, before the three gained a little more time in their wake as Binder pulled off to the side of the track with a technical issue, leaving some space.
From there, Acosta was on a charge. The rookie held the reigning Champion at bay looking comfortable enough, but then it all came apart. Already with his head in his hands as he slid across the gravel, the mistake was made and the win gone. Bagnaia took over in the lead, with Bastianini and Marquez on the chase.
Initially, it looked comfortable enough, but there were spots of rain threatening and the #93’s reputation preceded him. All over the back of Bastianini, he went for the move but the ‘Beast’ wasn’t for turning. Marquez was briefly ahead, the two were side-by-side, and then the #23 Ducati was sailing back up the inside. Somehow, Bastianini got it stopped and was back into second – and then the two started eating into Bagnaia’s lead.
Metre by metre, the gap to the front disappeared as the grey skies threatened again. But half a second proved the limit for the duo on the chase, and the #1 crossed the line ahead by just over a tenth, with all three covered by 0.349 at the flag. Bagnaia’s win cuts the gap back down to 15 points as Martin came home fourth, unable to get in the podium fight on Saturday.
Bastianini’s second place, meanwhile, keeps him just ahead of Marquez in the Championship and the two completing the podium ensures they make a gain – however small – on Martin overall...
Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) finished P5, just able to stay ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as his compatriot hounded him to the flag. In a big group battle behind, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) just came out on top ahead of Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) taking the final Sprint point as Marco Bezzeccchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) just missed out.
There was some home heartbreak for Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) as some unfortunate contact from his CASTROL Honda LCR teammate ended his final home Sprint as a full time rider early. Zarco was given a Long Lap penalty for the incident after also having come together Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) earlier in the race and will be looking for some amends on Sunday.
Sunday will be a whole new challenge as the weather may change again, the grid remains the same interesting mash up, and now we’ve seen some of what they’ve got – but by no means all. Can Acosta hit back to become the second youngest premier class winner? Will Bagnaia reign supreme? Or do the likes of Bastianini, Marquez and Martin have more up their sleeves? We’ll find out tomorrow at 14:00 (UTC+9) – don’t miss it!
Ducati
Bagnaia and the Ducati Lenovo are triumphant in Motegi’s sprint race, with Bastianini in second place at the chequered flagSeven Ducati machines in the sprint race top 7: Marc Márquez is third aboard the Desmosedici GP of team Gresini Racing MotoGP, followed by the Pramac Racing Team duo of Jorge Martín and Franco Morbidelli. Sixth place for Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Racing Team), with Alex Márquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) in seventh position
With today’s race, Ducati is mathematically the title winner with one of its riders
The Ducati Lenovo Team has scored the perfect result in today’s sprint race for the Japanese Grand Prix, in what is the sixteenth event of the season. Francesco Bagnaia took the win in the 12-lap encounter at the Twin Ring Motegi as he crossed the finish line ahead of his teammate Enea Bastianini.
Bagnaia had the perfect start from second place on the grid and stayed in the lead until lap four, when he was overtaken by Acosta at turn five. After the latter crashed out with four laps to go, Bagnaia did a great job in managing the small margin on his nearest rivals, despite a few drops of rain in the closing stages and a resurgent Bastianini on the final lap. Thanks to his seventh sprint race win of the season, Pecco has narrowed the gap to the leader Martín down to 15 points.
Bastianini also did an excellent start from row two as he took the outside line on Acosta at turn one. A slight mistake at turn 5 during the opening lap cost Enea one position, but the Italian did well in not losing ground to the riders ahead. Bastianini had a great battle with Marc Márquez with two laps to go, eventually taking second place back with a successful overtake at turn 11. He then bridged the gap to Bagnaia during the final lap as he crossed the finish line only 0.186secs away from his teammate.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action tomorrow at 9:40 local time (GMT +9) for the warmup session, which will be followed by the 24-lap, Japanese Grand Prix – scheduled at 14:00.
Francesco Bagnaia (#1 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st
“It surely wasn’t an easy race as there were some wet patches and a few drops of rain. We used the sighting lap to get a better understanding of the track conditions, at the expense of some race performance. I had a good start and managed to lead in the early laps, but Pedro (Acosta) was really strong and he was pushing a little bit beyond what I thought was my limit. When I thought about letting the tyre cool off a bit, before pushing again, he crashed out of the race. It wasn’t an easy situation as there were again a few drops of rain. I was aware of the lead I had on Enea (Bastianini) during the last lap, so I just chose to manage the gap and to avoid any risk.”
Enea Bastianini (#23 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 2nd
“It was a great sprint race. I wasn’t close enough to Pecco (Bagnaia) to try and take the win as I had lost a bit of time in the final two-three laps. Marc (Márquez) did get really close and managed to overtake me, but at turn 11 I simply released the brakes, and it worked. This battle pushed me into giving that little extra on the last lap, while trying to avoid any unnecessary risk. It’s true that I did a competitive lap, but Pecco surely managed the lead he had. This second place his still an excellent result.”
Aprilia
Complicated sprint race for Aprilia Racing in MotegiVIÑALES NINTH, ESPARGARÓ CRASHES OUT
Maverick Viñales confirmed his good sensations from Friday in qualifying as well, taking the third spot on the starting grid. This was an encouraging result for the Spanish rider, who had not started from the front row since the Assen GP. Nevertheless, in the sprint race, a less than perfect start and the initial scrum forced him all the way back to eleventh place by the end of the first lap. In spite of his efforts to recover, the comeback proved to be complicated, and Viñales finished the sprint race in ninth place.
Aleix Espargaró showed signs of improvement during the sprint race, where he managed to make up several positions despite starting from the fifteenth spot. Unfortunately, a crash just two laps from the end as he was lying eleventh made all his efforts in vain.
vinales
At the start of the race, I didn’t disengage the front device and I lost several positions. Sunday will be a new race, but I am still optimistic. In qualifying, I managed to work some magic, so I hope to be able to do the same in the long race too.
espargaro
I improved a bit in the sprint race. I tried a different setup, very similar to Maverick’s. It worked well and I felt comfortable. In fact, I was coming back, but then the temperature and the front tyre pressure raised quite a bit. At that point, it was extremely hard to ride the bike, and the front end locked up, making me crash on turn 1.
albesiano
Maverick’s third place in qualifying was a result that gave us confidence. It’s a shame about the start and the opening scrum, because Maverick had the potential to bring home a good result in the sprint race. Aleix made a leap forward in terms of performance in the sprint race, managing to recover several positions to get close to the group where Maverick was too. It’s a shame about the crash just two laps from the end. In the long race, we’ll have a new chance to demonstrate our potential.
Gresini
MARC SHOWS UP BIG IN MOTEGI SPRINT RACEMarc Marquez confirms its role as a one-man show with what has become a signature performance from 9thon the grid to third at the finish line. Despite a set of unfortunate circumstances out of his control in Q2, the Spanish rider did a great job in staying focused and make his way back to third at the chequered flag, after a great battle with Bastianini during the penultimate lap.
Alex Marquez managed to bag three points as he finished a solid seventh after battling for most of the race with Miller, Viñales and Bezzecchi. Sunny and hot weather is expected for tomorrow, with tyre choice being as key as ever for the Sunday race.
3rd - MARC MARQUEZ #93
“We were unlucky as we just barely ended up on the green stripe, but then the notification arrived too late preventing us from giving it another go and qualifying further ahead on the grid. It was my duty to keep it together mentally and bounce back. We battled with Bastianini for second, but he did a great job in defending his position.”
7th - ALEX MARQUEZ #73
“It was a positive day, albeit with no real highlight. I didn’t do a good qualifying but then we were competitive in the race. Miller, who was in front of us for long, unfortunately did hamper our performance as it took a long time to get past him. Tyre choice will be crucial tomorrow, but we have margin to do well and to race for the top positions.”
Castrol LCR
Tough Sprint for Johann Zarco in MotegiCASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco has finished 14th on Saturday's Sprint.
Under mixed conditions and on a demanding track, Frenchman Zarco started the Sprint from the 16th spot of the grid. Despite having experienced a positive weekend and having noticed some improvements, a few mistakes and other difficulties prevented him from getting to the points.
Sunday's race will be demanding for Zarco and the crew. After an incident with his teammate, the Frenchman must serve a long lap penalty. However, the team is fully prepared and ready to face these challenges head-on. No matter the circumstances, they are determined to push and fight.
Johann Zarco 14th
“Today, I made a mistake at the beginning of the race, and when trying to recover from it, I pushed my teammate out of the track. I was overtaking him, but it didn’t end up well, and of course, that’s not cool when it’s your teammate. I apologized to him; this is part of racing. We’ll try again tomorrow, although we know it will be hard as I’ve received a long lap penalty due to the incident”.
The Other Side of the Garage
Unexpected Sprint for Nakagami in JapanIDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Takaaki Nakagami hasn’t been able to finish the Sprint on Saturday at the Mobility Resort Motegi.
Starting from the 21st spot of the grid, Takaaki Nakagami had to face a comeback Sprint to get to the points. After a solid job over the weekend, there was potential to try and get them, as motivation and performance foresaw some steps. However, a movement over the limit by his teammate during an overtake caused Nakagami to end up on the gravel, finishing with his options.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s race, Nakagami and his crew are unwavering in their determination to bounce back from this setback. Their goal is to turn the tide and make Nakagami’s last race as a full-time MotoGP rider on his home track a memorable one.
Takaaki Nakagami DNF
“I’m disappointed with the way my Sprint has finished. It was a risky movement by my teammate, and I ended up on the gravel. Fortunately, I’m fine. This is my home Grand Prix, and I want to reset; tomorrow, we’ll have another chance and need to be ready to fight. I want to thank my fans and team for their support, it means a lot to me”.
Gas Gas Tech 3
MIX OF JOY AND DISAPPOINTMENT IN MOTEGI AS ACOSTA CRASHES FROM SPRINT LEAD AFTER MAIDEN MOTOGP™ POLE POSITIONThere was plenty of MotoGP™ action going on at the Mobility Resort Motegi on Saturday at the Grand Prix of Japan. Clouds covered the Twin Ring for most of the day, which started in tricky conditions with a drying track in Free Practice 2, until a few drops of rain arrived just in time for the qualifying sessions. Pedro Acosta grabbed his maiden pole position in MotoGP™, and made history as he became the third youngest pole sitter in the premier class. Sadly, hearts were broken into pieces in the Tissot Sprint later on when the rookie crashed on lap 8 while he was on his way to a first sprint victory. Augusto Fernandez finished 15th of the Motegi sprint after qualifying in P18.
Friday was difficult for Red Bull GASGAS Tech3’s Augusto Fernandez who did not manage to point out the right bike set up to challenge the Japanese layout. There was one final chance in FP2 to adjust the bike, and after 14 laps, the Spaniard was ready. In Q1, Augusto set an early lap in 1’44.631 to take provisional P5 while he tried to stay with Jack Miller. As the Australian pit in, the Spaniard did so too, and when the #43 excited for run 2, the #37 did so too, aware that the KTM Factory rider's wheel could give him a little boost. There were a few others aware of that too, leaving us with typical Moto3™ games with three riders waiting behind the Australian. Fernandez eventually made a small improvement to 1’44.547, a lap that placed him in P18 on the grid. As lights of the Tissot Sprint went out, the Spaniard progressed to 17th after the opening lap to settle behind Luca Marini, with Takaaki Nakagami behind. Behind Augusto, the Japanese crashed after being involved in an incident with teammate Johann Zarco, leaving more space behind the #37. Zarco was given a long lap penalty, but still he was able to catch back Augusto who moved back to 16th. Then, his teammate’s crash on lap 8 gained him one more position, and the Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 rider saw the checkered flag in P15.
Officially crowned 2024 MotoGP™ Rookie of the Year today, Pedro Acosta had a busy day awaiting him, but qualifying to Q2 was one less worry, especially when the weather makes things trickier. After confirming the bike’s settings and the decisions for the rest of the day in FP2, the rookie headed out on track at 11:15 local time for the fight for the sixteenth pole position. With the sky becoming darker and the rain flag waving, many riders urged out of the pitlane to try setting that fast lap very quickly. Acosta’s first lap was a 1'46.955, 1.211 seconds from the first flying lap set by Marc Marquez. The next lap was a 1'44.418 that powered him to provisional second, and the next one was the one he set a new benchmark with, in 1'43.758, as he took the provisional pole ahead of Enea Bastianini and Marco Bezzecchi. After a pit box stop, the Shark rejoined the final time attacks. Eventually, there were red sectors all over the place, and we had an on-fire Marc Marquez setting (at that time) a new all-time lap record at Motegi with a 1'42.868, but the young rookie had not said his final word. He continued his efforts to clock in a 1'43.018 to take provisional P2, 0.150 seconds from Marquez. The Gresini rider saw his lap cancelled for exceeding track limits, and that meant Pedro Acosta took his maiden pole position in the premier class, with a new all-time lap record in Motegi. He becomes the third youngest pole sitter in the premier class after Fabio Quartararo and Marc Marquez. With the thrills of a first MotoGP™ pole position, the young rider lined up on his first place on the grid. As lights went out for twelve laps, Acosta found the third place in the first corner after the rocket starts of the Factory Ducati bikes of Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini, with Brad Binder just behind. The #23 went wide in Turn 5, leaving space for Acosta to go ahead on the inside. He exited lap 1 in second with a 0.5 seconds gap on Bastianini. The rookie was on fire with a hot 1’43.825 on lap 3 that allowed him to close the gap on Bagnaia for battle for 1st. With no fear, he made a brilliant move at that same T5 as earlier, but this time, it was on the two-time world champion to take the provisional lead. After three laps, the front-three was quite clear with Acosta, Bagnaia and Bastianini one second away from Marc Marquez in P4. The rookie continued to hold the pace, leaving Bagnaia with no possibility for a comeback at that time. 5 laps remaining. The #1 made a small mistake that allowed the gap to grow to 0.7 seconds, Acosta pushed but sadly crushed everyone’s dream, including his, when he crashed on lap 8. A mistake he won’t forget for sure, and that he will feed from as a new opportunity from the pole position lies ahead of him on Sunday’s main race, scheduled at 14:00 local time (GMT+9), for 24 laps.
Position: 15th
Championship: 21st
Points: 20
"The pace was not so bad with used tyres in FP2, with a better feeling than Friday. However in the sprint, I was feeling the jumps and vibrations again, and they became more intense as soon as the tyres dropped. It was very hard for me to ride. We will need to focus on these issues tonight and try fixing them if we want to have a chance to fight for points tomorrow.
--Augusto Fernandez - Motegi - 2024
Position: DNF
Championship: 5th
Points: 181
"We were super close from that first win today, and it is what makes it very difficult to accept. I made a mistake, and I can only blame myself for that, so all I need to do is put my head down and focus on tomorrow. We have been really competitive all weekend, our race starts are getting better and better, and we are closer to the front guys weekend after weekend. For these reasons, we need to be happy with the laps we spent at the lead today, and head to tomorrow's race knowing that we can do it again.""
--Pedro Acosta - Motegi - 2024
Pedro Acosta - Motegi - 2024
"It was an unbelievable and historical day for the Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 team in Motegi. Coming to Japan, we knew that the RC16 worked well here and that we could have chances of doing something good, in addition to Pedro Acosta's very good form. But wow. Pedro took his first pole position in MotoGP, in his rookie year, which is an incredible achievement. He had strong chances for a podium in the sprint, he took a great start with a strong pace, passed some big names like Bastianini and Bagnaia to lead most of the race. He felt quite comfortable, and tried to push to dig a bigger gap, but sadly he lost the front and crashed while leading. Of course it is sad, but today's performance gives us a lot of confidence heading to tomorrow's race. One thing is sure, we will have another chance to shine on Sunday. Augusto Fernandez' Saturday has again been tricky as he continued to face his vibration issues during the sprint. This has been holding off our performance for a few races now, and everyone is focused to try fixing that issue. We will try to make a step forward ahead of Sunday's main race."
Repsol Honda
Day of progress for the Repsol Honda Team in Japan
Steps forward for both Luca Marini and Joan Mir, the Italian taking a satisfying 13th while Mir’s performance is restricted by an early fall.
Hard work and a methodical approach paid off for Luca Marini on Saturday in Japan as he was able to make significant progress over the course of the day. Qualifying down in 20th, the only way was forward as the field lined up for the 12-lap Sprint in Japan. With the conditions changing minute-by-minute, a calm and focused approach would be the order of the day. Able to run within four tenths of his best race lap, a 1’45.418, Marini picked his way through the field to end in 13th and take top Honda honours.
Dark clouds gathering overhead throughout Free Practice 2 set the scene for a dramatic Qualifying. Joan Mir entered Q1 primed to fight for the transfer positions after making progress in the morning. The tricky conditions with small, intermittent showers of rain made for a tough session where Mir ended seventh. A lightning start saw the #36 gain places straight away in the Sprint, but a crash would nullify that progress. Remounting, Mir showed impressive pace as he consistently lapped in the mid to low 1’45s, matching the speed shown by the top ten. He retired at the end of the race.
Both riders were able to accomplish significant progress overnight and take positives from their respective performances. Sunday offers another chance for the Repsol Honda Team to not just focus on the positives but also demonstrate them. The 24-lap race is scheduled to start at 14:00 Local Time and is set to be another edge of your seat affair.
Luca Marini
13th
“I was surprised at our pace; it was very close to the group in front of me and our position isn’t too bad, so I have to be satisfied with today when we look at where we were yesterday and where we started the race. We knew coming here that the layout of this track would be tough for us, but we have been able to fight and make progress which is the key. Now we need to check the data of the other riders to see what they are doing differently. Some more things to try in the morning to make another step, but we are making progress and able to do this at each race now.”
Joan Mir
DNF
“It is easy to look at our position and be upset, but when we look at what happened today was a day of positives. On the first lap I almost high-sided at Turn 10 and then when I arrived to Turn 11 I couldn’t stop so I went into the gravel. I recovered and after a couple of laps I was able to really unleash my speed and I have to say I am happy with my pace. The speed was that same as the guys fighting in the top eight and we have to be happy with that level of improvement. A better grid position would help us a lot. Tomorrow I am feeling confident for the longer race with the speed we showed today.”
Yamaha Test Team
The Yamaha Factory Racing Test Team continued their testing programme on the Saturday of the Grand Prix of Japan. Wild-card entry Remy Gardner finished the Sprint in 18th place, collecting useful data.The Yamaha Factory Racing Test Team used the Grand Prix of Japan Saturday sessions to collect further data and analyse prototype parts. Gardner started the 12-lap Sprint from P23, taking part with the main aim to collect data to accelerate bike development for 2025. The number-87 rider finished the contest in 18th place.
Starting from 23rd position on the grid, Gardner found himself riding behind Álex Rins for a large part of the Sprint. However, halfway through the race the Aussie stayed behind. Unable to battle with other riders, he focused on his rhythm and gathering good data. Multiple crashes by other participants saw the Yamaha test rider finish in 18th place, 32.620s from first.
The Yamaha Factory Racing Test Team will be back in action tomorrow for Warm Up, held from 09:40 - 09:50 GMT +9, and the 24-lap Race, which starts at 12:00.
KAZUTOSHI SEKI
Yamaha Factory Racing Test Team Leader
Today's sessions were important for the test team. FP2 allowed us to gather some more testing data, and the Sprint was vital as it gave us our first data from a 'race-like' setting for the prototype items. It was a tough Sprint race for Remy because he was trying different things on the bike today and also because the track conditions kept changing. The team is trying to find a good balance between the new test parts, while Remy is trying to get used to what is essentially a 'new bike' with a new set-up each time he heads out on track. All in all, it was a productive day, though. We completed what we had set out to do for today. Now we need to analyse the data very carefully so we can decide on what testing items to try in tomorrow's Race.
REMY GARDNER
Yamaha Factory Racing Test Team Rider
In the end, we improved a lot today. I'm still missing a little confidence with the bike and understanding of the tyres. But I was quite happy with the qualifying, and the Sprint race up to the halfway point was very good. Then we had a big drop in the rear tyre, which we need to understand how to manage. It was also the first time I was riding with the hard front, so it was a learning experience. We learned some things, and hopefully we can improve more tomorrow.
Yamaha
Quartararo and Rins Wrap Up Motegi Sprint in P12 & P16Mobility Resort Motegi (Japan), 5th October 2024
GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN
SPRINT
It was a challenging Saturday at the Mobility Resort Motegi for the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team with both Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins unable to ride towards the front like they wanted during the 12-lap Sprint. They finished the short dash to the chequered flag in 12th and 16th place respectively.
12th
F. QUARTARARO
+14.645 / 12 LAPS
16th
Á. RINS
+24.415 / 12 LAPS
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammates were unable to make up ground like they wanted to in the mixed conditions of today's Grand Prix of Japan Sprint. Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins finished the 12-lap dash in P12 and P16 respectively.
Quartararo started from P12 and found himself in the busy mid-pack in the opening corners. He settled in 15th place after lap 1, but Brad Binder returned to the pits a few laps in due to a mechanical problem, so the Frenchman was soon back in 14th position. He had a significant gap to the riders ahead and behind him, though, so making progress was a challenge. Two further crashes from rivals saw him riding in 12th place as he crossed the finish line 14.645s from first.
Rins started the Sprint from P19 but struggled to defend his position and fell back to 21st place. However, he gained several positions over the course of the 12 laps due to the misfortune of other riders. Meanwhile, the Spaniard gritted his teeth and upped his pace. He overtook Lorenzo Savadori with five laps to go and ended the Sprint in 16th place, 24.415s from the winner.
Today's results see Quartararo hold 13th place in the overall standings with 82 points. Rins remains in joint-19th position with 20 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP keep their 9th place in the team championship with 102 points, and Yamaha hold on to 4th position in the constructor's championship with 93 points.
The team will be back in action tomorrow for Warm Up, held from 09:40 - 09:50 GMT +9, and the 24-lap Race, which starts at 14:00.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
Team Director
Overall, it was a difficult day, with the only highlight being that Fabio was able to go from Q1 to Q2 with a perfect lap. Unfortunately, our performance today reflected and confirmed what we had already found between yesterday's Practice and today's FP2. We used today's Sprint to try some things to improve the bike, and we will now analyse the data, and, if required, tomorrow we will tweak the settings and race with another configuration.
FABIO QUARTARARO
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
It was a difficult Sprint. The track conditions affect our results. If there's grip, we're okay, if there's no grip, we are far from the front. It was raining a little bit, and these conditions are difficult for us. We have to take this experience on board and see if there's something we can improve. But it's not a matter of the set-up, it's more a matter of rear grip.
ÁLEX RINS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
We tried a big change on the bike, something different from the Quali to the Sprint race because the step that we made between Friday afternoon and FP2 on Saturday morning was very small, and I couldn't feel the improvement. So, we took the risk of doing something bolder for the Sprint race, and we found something. We're still super far from the front, but the engineers are analysing the data because the rear contact with the track did improve a little.
A D V E R T I S M E N T
— ends —