Hector Barbera Targets Best Race Result In MotoGP Yet
After two dull races it looks like anything could happen tomorrow, with Stoner, Lorenzo and Pedrosa having one head to head throughout the weekend so far. Even though the Australian finished on top of the pile there are only 0.180 seconds between the three and barely anything to separate them in terms of race pace. All the ingredients are there for a three-way fight over 28 laps tomorrow, with Barberá and Bautista looking likely to join the scrap for positions immediately behind them.
It is no coincidence to see Héctor Barberá on the pace, the MAPFRE Aspar rider again finishing the day as the fastest Ducati rider on track. The Spaniard is enjoying himself on the bike and the results are clear to see – he is just 1.4 seconds off pole position with a race pace in the low 1’35s, which he hopes to confirm tomorrow. He knows it won’t be an easy challenge because the lap times are close but the time has come for the Héctor, in his second year of MotoGP, to target a top result.
9th Héctor Barberá 1.34.592 (24 laps):
“Things don’t happen by accident. We are setting fast laps times because we have been doing a good job over the last few races. The bike is working well, we have hardly touched it and I am just focused on getting the most out of my riding because I am comfortable with this setting. My pace on used tyres is in the high 1’34s and that should be the case for the race tomorrow. I did every lap alone and on used rubber, setting similar lap times to Stoner last year. I have lots of targets, one of which is to improve my starts and my pace over the opening laps. I think that is the key to the race – from there on I think we have the pace to finish quite high up the order. I haven’t gone into a race with such clear ideas as this before so we have to make the most of it.”
Source: Aspar Media