MotoGP

STRONG START FOR RINS AND MIR ON HOME SOIL


Team Suzuki Press Office - November 15.

Alex Rins: 6th - 1:31.230 (+ 0.495)
Joan Mir: 7th - 1:31.280 (+ 0.545)

• Alex Rins builds consistency on opening day.
• Joan Mir showing promising early pace.
• Team ready to tackle qualifying.

The final round of the MotoGP™ season, at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit, got underway with a chilly FP1 session on Friday morning.

Alex Rins and Joan Mir gauged the conditions and got themselves bedded into the Valencian circuit, building up solid pace as the session went on. With 12 minutes left in FP1, the Top 13 were separated by just 1 second and Joan and Alex put in good final flying laps to end the morning in 6th and 10th respectively.

A much warmer FP2 meant everyone improved, hotting up the fight for provisional Q2 progression. Rins went about a consistent approach to his session, and he soon found himself among the top positions. Mir was soon rocketing up the order too and held 3rd place for a large portion of FP2. Both riders were in the Top 5, only dropping to 6th and 7th - half a second from the top - as the flag came out.

Davide Brivio - Team Manager:

“It was a good day, we worked well. Alex and Joan both tried different tyres and different settings. It’s been a good start with both riders in the Top 10 and showing good form, so we’re pleased with that and we hope we can continue in a good way.”

Alex Rins:

“I felt quite good today, both FP1 and FP2 went well. We changed the setup a little bit after the morning session and I’m pleased with how it worked out. We still need to improve a bit for tomorrow, but we feel ready. It will be important to be in Q2, everybody is very close together on times so it will be a competitive day.”

Joan Mir:

“I feel especially good here. During the last race in Sepang I suffered physically, with my lungs, because of the humidity but here I am back at 100% and I feel better. The team are working really well, and the bike is feeling nice. We will continue working tomorrow, but things are going in a good way.”

GP of Valencia - Combined Classification after Day 1:

1. Fabio QUARTARARO Petronas Yamaha SRT 1'30.735 (FP2)
2. Maverick VIÑALES Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 1’30.883 0.148 / 0.148 (FP2)
3. Marc MARQUEZ Repsol Honda Team 1’30.974 0.239 / 0.091 (FP2)
4. Jack MILLER Pramac Racing 1’31.000 0.265 / 0.026 (FP2)
5. Franco MORBIDELLI Petronas Yamaha SRT 1’31.199 0.464 / 0.199 (FP2)
6. Alex RINS Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1’31.230 0.495 / 0.031 (FP2)
7. Joan MIR Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1’31.280 0.545 / 0.050 (FP2)
8. Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1’31.305 0.570 / 0.025 (FP2)
9. Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati Team 1’31.351 0.616 / 0.046 (FP2)
10. Johann ZARCO LCR Honda IDEMITSU 1’31.369 0.634 / 0.018 (FP2)
11. Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR LCR Honda CASTROL 1’31.433 0.698 / 0.064 (FP2)
12. Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati Team 1’31.455 0.720 / 0.022 (FP2)
13. Michele PIRRO Ducati Team 1’31.765 1.030 / 0.310 (FP2)
14. Valentino ROSSI Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 1’31.775 1.040 / 0.010 (FP2)
15. Francesco BAGNAIA Pramac Racing 1’31.868 1.133 / 0.093 (FP2)
16. Jorge LORENZO Repsol Honda Team 1’31.880 1.145 / 0.012 (FP2)
17. Pol ESPARGARO Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1’31.905 1.170 / 0.025 (FP2)
18. Tito RABAT Reale Avintia Racing 1’32.159 1.424 / 0.254 (FP2)
19. Karel ABRAHAM Reale Avintia Racing 1’32.278 1.543 / 0.119 (FP2)
20. Mika KALLIO Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1’32.467 1.732 / 0.189 (FP2)
21. Andrea IANNONE Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1’32.568 1.833 / 0.101 (FP2)
22. Hafizh SYAHRIN Red Bull KTM Tech 3 1’32.887 2.152 / 0.319 (FP2)
23. Iker LECUONA Red Bull KTM Tech 3 1’33.114 2.379 / 0.227 (FP2)


Valencia MotoGP Image Gallery: CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS




 For more stories about Alex Rins, Click Here. For photos, Click Here.

For more stories about Joan Mir, Click Here. For photos, Click Here.

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