Repsol rider third in dry session and sets good pace in second run on track dampened by rain.
The start of the Malaysian GP weekend offered up the two sides of the event: In the morning, there were high temperatures and good grip on a dry track, whilst in the afternoon there were showers typical of Sepang. Marc Márquez ended the first session in third with a time 0.333 off top rider Pol Espargaró. In the second session he undertook eleven laps to test out his feeling on a wet track.
First impressions for the Moto2 leader at Sepang were positive, and he recorded his best lap on his fourth of seventeen. He stopped the clock in 2’38.348, 3 tenths off the best time of the day.
The second session featured mixed conditions, with part of the circuit dry and the other wet, and Márquez rode one lap before coming back into the garage. The track gradually dried, but another shower made conditions completely wet and the Repsol rider went back out for the final 15 minutes. He put in 11 laps and achieved a best time of 2’24.498.
Marc Márquez >> Audio
FP1 – 2:08.348, 17 laps, 94 km.
FP2 – 2:24.498, 11 laps, 61 km.
“The first day went well and we are fairly happy. In the morning we stuck to our normal Friday routine and, having not found the best setup, we still have to work more. In the afternoon we planned to continue with the race setup plan, but we were unable to do so because of the rain. It was good for us to ride in the wet to see how the track is in those conditions, how the grip is, preparing for if it rains on Sunday. With the heat here there are a lot of heavy showers.”
