Maverick Viñales’ feeling with the RS-GP24 keeps getting better and better. Already in free practice this morning, the Spanish rider had finished the session third. The afternoon practice session was eventful – first a crash without consequences and then a series of fast laps that allowed Maverick to do the second best time of the session, clinching a spot in Q2 for him. Viñales was also the first rider of the session to break the track record – a sure sign of his competitiveness.
Espargaró also improved steadily, taking fourth in the first free practice of the day, just behind his teammate. During the afternoon session, Aleix did the seventh best time, which sent him straight through to Q2.
Lorenzo Savadori, hard at work in Jerez, tested several new components, finishing practice twenty-fifth.
MAVERICK VIÑALES
“I found an outstanding feeling from the very first lap. It’s incredible to be able to ride like this in Jerez. I can take the bike to its limit and I’m really having a lot of fun. Exploiting the bike’s potential is important and we did that to the utmost today. I was surprised at my race pace because we improved by almost one second compared with last year. The bike is spectacular. There are obviously some small things to improve but overall I am extremely satisfied.”
ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
“In Portimão and in America, I wasn’t competitive enough but here I feel like I am much stronger. The bike is working extremely well, I’m fast, and with the medium tyre I’m one of the fastest. I’m pleased; I’m not far behind the others. We need to figure out how to keep the front tyre from overheating so we don’t have a repeat of what happened last year.”
- From Piaggio Group Press Release
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