Team Suzuki Press Office – October 25.
Alex Rins: 8th – 1:29.472 (+ 0.648)
Joan Mir: 11th – 1:29.875 (+ 1.051)
• Alex Rins makes promising start at one of his favourite tracks.
• Joan Mir confident and quick ahead of Day 2.
• Team prepare for unsettled conditions throughout the weekend.
Phillip Island in Australia welcomed the riders for Round 17 of the MotoGP World Championship, just days after the completion of the Japanese GP in Motegi.
FP1 provided a tricky start for everyone as heavy rain lashed the southern Australian circuit and temperatures dropped. Alex Rins and Joan Mir both gained useful information from the session, completing it in 12th and 15th respectively.
Clear skies and bright sunshine were on the menu for the afternoon’s FP2 session, and Team SUZUKI ECSTAR’s riders were keen to make the most of the dry track time as more inclement weather is expected. Mir felt confident and quick, and he was able to set some impressive lap times. Similarly, Rins was fast and relaxed at the track, which he likes so much. A final push saw Rins secure provisional passage to Q2 with 8th place, he was just over six tenths of a second from the top. Mir narrowly missed out on the Top 10 as he finished in 11th with a 1:29.875.
Davide Brivio – Team Manager:
“Today we had a bit of everything; cold and very wet in the morning, dry and sunny in the afternoon. So overall it has been an important day for checking the different conditions. This morning in the wet we were not super-fast, but we still found it useful. This afternoon we tried to start our race preparations, trying settings and tyres. Alex is in the Top 10 and he did well, Joan was also quick, and he only just missed out in 11th, so we’re looking forward to seeing what we can do tomorrow.”
Alex Rins:
“It was a strong day for us. I really enjoy this track and I’m pleased to be in the Top 10 because that should mean I’m in Q2, which was the first target! At the moment I think we need to take one step more to be at the front, but we’re all pretty close on lap times. Today I tried different tyres and settings because it looks like tomorrow will be wet again.”
Joan Mir:
“I’m not super satisfied with today, I would have liked another dry session. It’s my first time here with the MotoGP bike, and I feel that I still need a bit more time to adapt – that would have been easier without the wet conditions. I have a bit of margin to improve and I hope tomorrow I can find something more. Anyway, I feel confident.”
GP of Australia – Combined Classification after Day 1:
1. Maverick VIÑALES Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 1’28.824 (FP2)
2. Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati Team 1’29.320 0.496 / 0.496 (FP2)
3. Cal CRUTCHLOW LCR Honda CASTROL 1’29.325 0.501 / 0.005 (FP2)
4. Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati Team 1’29.327 0.503 / 0.002 (FP2)
5. Jack MILLER Pramac Racing 1’29.344 0.520 / 0.017 (FP2)
6. Marc MARQUEZ Repsol Honda Team 1’29.421 0.597 / 0.077 (FP2)
7. Valentino ROSSI Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 1’29.436 0.612 / 0.015 (FP2)
8. Alex RINS Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1’29.472 0.648 / 0.036 (FP2)
9. Franco MORBIDELLI Petronas Yamaha SRT 1’29.718 0.894 / 0.246 (FP2)
10. Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1’29.791 0.967 / 0.073 (FP2)
11. Joan MIR Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1’29.875 1.051 / 0.084 (FP2)
12. Karel ABRAHAM Reale Avintia Racing 1’29.997 1.173 / 0.122 (FP2)
13. Andrea IANNONE Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1’30.170 1.346 / 0.173 (FP2)
14. Francesco BAGNAIA Pramac Racing 1’30.426 1.602 / 0.256 (FP2)
15. Johann ZARCO LCR Honda IDEMITSU 1’30.441 1.617 / 0.015 (FP2)
16. Jorge LORENZO Repsol Honda Team 1’30.706 1.882 / 0.265 (FP2)
17. Pol ESPARGARO Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1’30.859 2.035 / 0.153 (FP2)
18. Mika KALLIO Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1’30.865 2.041 / 0.006 (FP2)
19. Hafizh SYAHRIN Red Bull KTM Tech 3 1’30.940 2.116 / 0.075 (FP2)
20. Miguel OLIVEIRA Red Bull KTM Tech 3 1’31.404 2.580 / 0.464 (FP2)
21. Tito RABAT Reale Avintia Racing 1’31.459 2.635 / 0.055 (FP2)
20 Fabio QUARTARARO Petronas Yamaha SRT
