Espargaro dominates opening day at Assen, Rabat confident despite small crash
Pol Espargaró, the latest Moto2 winner at the British Grand Prix, was also the fastest rider in the two first practice sessions for the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen. The Spaniard posted ten laps in the 1’38s while only two other riders (Andrea Iannone and Dominique Aegerter) were able to clock laptimes under 1’39. Polyccio, who is currently second in the championship with a gap of six points, continues his good feeling on the bike and makes the most of his good run so far, which includes two victories and a total of four podium finishes in six races.
Tito Rabat starts the 100th world championship race of his career this weekend and he was third-fastest in the first practice. In the afternoon session he was less fortunate and crashed out while trying to improve his laptime, losing the final minutes of the session with a damaged brake which relegated him to 13th position in the end.
Axel Pons struggled with many settup problems and could only manage the 25th-fastest laptime today. The Spaniard hopes to take a step forward tomorrow and get the bike setup right for qualifying.
1. POL ESPARGARÓ, 1.38.424 “I still have the same good feeling like in Silverstone and I felt good on the bike from the start. In the morning I did several laps in the 1’38s, well within the circuit record, and in the afternoon we did it again, while of the rest of the riders only two managed to go under 1’39. In the afternoon we changed some things to try and go even faster, but instead of going better it got worse and then we returned to the previous setting and continued with the testing of the tyres. Assen is a track I like and which I enjoy a lot. We have to keep working to improve, considering that the others will get closer and the race will be as difficult as all Moto2 races.”
13. TITO RABAT, 1.39.424 “I have a good feeling and despite the crash this afternoon I think that this weekend we can be very competitive. When I crashed I was braking hard and improving my laptimes, afterwards that wasn’t possible anymore, because the brake was damaged and I didn’t have confidence in the rear tyre. I’m still struggling to put the bike in the corners like Pol, who I’ve followed in the morning and it gave me some hints on how to improve the laptime. The technicians are working hard and I’m convinced that tomorrow we can take a big step forward.”
25. AXEL PONS, 1.40.459 “I can’t be happy with this first day of practice, because I’m far behind and I had many problems with the setting. We opted for a bike setting with which I didn’t feel comfortable at all and it’s obvious that we have to take another direction to be competitive. I’d like to start a Grand Prix calmly and being able to work easily from the first practice on, but we’re just not getting that and this means we’ll have to make up for it again.”
Source: Pons Racing Press Release
