World Championship leader heads timesheet on first day of free practice for the Italian Grand Prix, with teammate Dani Pedrosa eleventh. Rain prevented riders taking to the track for the second session.
Marc Marquez started the sixth round of the season in the best way possible. The reigning MotoGP World Champion and current leader of the premier class standings set the fastest time in the first practice session at Mugello –a day in which he skipped the second session due to rain. Dani Pedrosa struggled to find a good feeling and finished eleventh.
Any doubts Marc Marquez could have had about the Mugello circuit were quickly dispelled. The first 45 minutes of practice saw him stop the clock at 1’48.004 –almost 4 tenths quicker than his nearest rival. Pedrosa never felt comfortable and ended the day with a best time of 1’49.203 and eleventh on the timesheet.
Five minutes before the end of the second Moto3 session, intermittent rain fell at Mugello and prevented the MotoGP riders from putting in normal laps. The track was too wet for slick tyres and too dry for wets. The Italian Grand Prix action will resume tomorrow with two free practice sessions and qualifying.
Marc Marquez >> Audio
1st, 1:48.004, 19 laps, 100 km
“Today was a really good day, I began with a few questions on my mind after last year –when this track was one of those that I found most difficult– and I saw that things have changed completely after a year of experience. The morning went well and the feeling was good, but in the afternoon we didn’t go out as it was raining on-and-off and the surface was neither fit for dry riding nor wet tyres. I felt very comfortable on the bike, there was a big difference compared to last year and I’m feeling much better about things and we hope to continue improving”.
Dani Pedrosa >> Audio
11th, 1:49.203, 18 laps, 94 km
“Today we were only able to complete a few laps in the morning, in which I didn’t feel completely comfortable. Then we were not able to ride in the afternoon as conditions were mixed and we couldn’t use the slick tyres, but we were also unable to use the wets due to the track not being wet enough. In any case, I can’t wait to continue working tomorrow to recover the ground needed and begin to ride fast”.
