Positive first day for Team Machado as Miguel Oliveira finally returns to the track
The first free practice for the Italian Grand Prix took place today at the Mugello circuit. Alberto Moncayo, who arrived at the Italian circuit highly motivated, did a great performance on this first day while Miguel Oliveira, who finally joins the team again for this Grand Prix, is adapting again to his bike and improving in each run.
The rain has once again made an appearance during practice for the world championship and has once again prevented the teams and riders of the 125cc category to properly do their work by taking advantage of two sessions today. While the first practice was done on dry asphalt, rain in the second session made it futil to go out on track and most of the riders have stayed in the garage waiting for better conditions.
The riders of Team AndalucÃa – Banca CÃvica – Diputación de Cádiz have done a good job in the first session while both Alberto and Miguel have preferred not to risk anything and have just gone out for a few laps in the second session to verify the proper functioning of some adjustments to the bike.
Alberto Moncayo, who is convinced that a good race result is everything he needs to leave behind a bad streak that’s still getting longer, now is ready to show a good performance in the race at this track and he and the team have done a good job from the first practice.
Miguel Oliveira, after two GPs without racing due to the injury he picked up in the Montmelo race, returns to action at Mugello, a circuit new to him and where he not only has to readjust to the bike and learn a new track, but also faces the discomfort of the fracture of his left arm.
Alberto Moncayo 10° (2’00 .925)
“Today we had a good feeling in the first practice. We started to work very hard from the start, we made some changes in the work plan had been doing so far and you could notice the difference. I managed my laptime riding alone and this here at Mugello is very important because the slipstream helps a lot to improve laptimes. We will try to leave behind the bad luck we were having although I am sure that it is coming to an end. We’re doing a good job, the whole team, and the feeling is very positive, so we are prepared to continue to improve tomorrow.”
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA 18° (2’02 .412)
“It was great to get back on the bike, I really wanted to return to racing and I’m back in action. Last Tuesday they took the cast off and the arm is still not recovered, it hurts during braking and changing direction, so we have taken this training calmly, without making many changes and without risk. Mugello is very fast and very technical, a circuit in which the right line and cornering are vital and I am slowly adapting to how to get good time. My main goal is to continue recovering as quickly as possible to 100% and tomorrow we will continue with this line of work.”
Source: Team Machado