Good start to the weekend for Espargaro and Pons
Today the French GP started in Le Mans, with a good feeling for the HP Pons Moto2 riders. Aleix Espargaro showed in both free practice sessions today that the work done on the Kalex Pons in recent weeks finally comes to fruition and he completed a good day where he’s always been among the top positions, despite a crash without consequences in the final moments of the first session. At the end of the day he finished 9th fastest, 0.659 seconds behind the leader and just over two tenths behind the provisional front row.
Axel Pons, despite not being satisfied with the result, has improved his laptime over six tenths from one session to another, finishing the day in 18th place, just over a second behind the fastest rider. Pons hopes to make a step forward in the last free practice to go well prepared into the qualifying on Saturday afternon.
# 40. Aleix Espargaro: 9° – 1’39’368
“I’m very happy. After Portugal there wasn’t anything good, I was very disappointed, and after the test we did at Motorland Aragon we have completely turned around the bike. In fact, we haven’t touched it here. It goes very, very well and that means I’m very satisfied. It is the first Grand Prix in which we manage to be competitive. I have been in front from the beginning, but when I put on the hard tyre to see how it goes it has not been as good as I expected. To see my pace all the time in the top three increased my confidence. We must fight at the maximum to get a podium in this race. “
# 80. Axel Pons: 18 – 1’39’895
‘It is clear that it can always be better, but I think we worked well in these two sessions, testing many things. For tomorrow we have more or less clear what we need to use. We have to test a change in the development for the third free practice, and if all goes well we will have a good chance in the qualifying. We have to find the best compromise with this development, knowing what to sacrifice. Also, we’re looking for a solution for the front of the bike, which so far does not give me enough confidence to go well in the corner. This, along with braking a little later and opening the throttle a little earlier it should be possible to be in the top ten without problems.”
Source: Pons Racing