GOOD START AT BARCELONA FOR APRILIA
ALEIX ESPARGARÓ AND SAM LOWES SATISFIED WITH THE FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE
On the first day of practice at Barcelona, the MotoGP riders took on FP1 with the track in less than perfect conditions due to some morning showers. With the asphalt slowly improving, Aleix Espargaró only turned a few laps, thinking better of risking and saving a set of slicks for the rest of the weekend. Sam Lowes, on the other hand, went out in the second part of the session, taking the opportunity to gain confidence on the Spanish track and stopping the clock with the seventh best time.
The track conditions in the afternoon FP2 session, on the other hand, were perfect, allowing Aprilia Racing Team Gresini to work on preparing for the race. Both of the riders demonstrated a good feeling on the Spanish circuit, especially working on tyre management. However, Aleix’s attempts to exploit the softest tyre in the session finale where thwarted. In fact, he found slower riders on the track that hindered his first attempt, whereas on the second try and the last lap, Baz’s crash forced him to widen his trajectory and slow down. His time of 1’45.554 placed him in fourteenth place. Sam Lowes did a good time with the soft tyre, taking sixteenth place with 1’45.760.
ALEIX ESPARGARO’
“I’m quite pleased with this day. The position is not accurate because when I put on the new tyre I was unable to do two clean laps, first because of traffic and then because of Baz’s crash on the last chicane. I feel good with the RS-GP, honestly better than I had expected. I found a good pace with the medium tyre. Then, as I said, after I put on the soft I was unfortunately unable to lower my times further. I think we will be able to do a good job tomorrow.”
SAM LOWES
“Things went well today. I am rather happy about FP2, where I had a good pace with the harder tyre. The feeling is good. I am in an encouraging position and it looks like this will be a race where tyre strategy will be fundamental. From this point of view, both in the tests and in these first sessions, I had some good feedback.”
