Comments from the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP riders after FP3 at the Catalan GP

2020-09-30 12:17
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi banked good lap results in a mini time attack at the end of this morning‘s FP3 to secure places in Q2, held later today at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.



Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi were right on the money in the FP3 session. Thanks to this morning‘s hot laps around the somewhat chilly Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the team-mates earned themselves 2nd and 8th place respectively in the combined FP rankings. They automatically promote to this afternoon‘s Q2 session, where they will try to negotiate places on the first two rows of the grid for tomorrow‘s Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya.

Viñales‘ best Friday time had held him inside the top 10 in the combined Free Practice timesheets for most of the FP3 session, until the final nine minutes. However, by then the Yamaha man was already on fresh tyres putting in his attempt for a place in Q2. His initial 1‘39.687s lap immediately put him at the top of the provisional rankings, but he dug even deeper on lap 18/21 and clocked a 1‘39.462s to extend his lead to 0.249s. Though he was pushed to second in the FP3 and combined FP results after the chequered flag had already come out, the Spaniard only has a 0.044s margin to first and is feeling positive about his qualifying chances.

Rossi worked on race set-up until he had about eight minutes to go and then started mission ’get into Q2‘. The Italian's opening bid of a 1‘39.836s, set on lap 16/20, initially put him in fifth position. But the Doctor knew there was more action to come in the always close FP3 sessions and returned to the box for a fresh rear tyre. A little later he set a better time of 1‘39.631s, which briefly put him in third place before it was cancelled. However, his earlier effort kept him solidly inside the top-10, in eighth position in both the FP3 and the combined timesheets, 0.418s from the top.

Viñales and Rossi will be back on track from 13:30 - 14:00 local track time (GMT+2) for FP4, followed by the Q2 session from 14:35 - 14:50.



Pictures for editorial use only. Copyright © 2020 Yamaha Motor Racing Srl


MAVERICK VIÑALES
MAVERICK VIÑALES


Position: 2nd | Best lap time: 1'39.462 (+0.044) | Laps: 21

We worked in a really good way, because in the initial part of the practice I was high up the rankings with the race set-up, which is really good. I felt incredible on the first laps, I can push really hard. So, in the afternoon we will try the race set-up again to see where we stand, but anyway, I‘m really happy. The bike is working well, and we‘re heading in the right direction. I feel like I can really get into the flow of the track, and this is the most important. We‘re going to try to improve a little bit more for tomorrow, but already I‘m quite happy about how the bike is working. We now have to concentrate on getting onto the front row.





VALENTINO ROSSI
VALENTINO ROSSI


Position: 8th | Best lap time: 1'39.836 (+0.418) | Laps: 20

It was not so bad this morning. We tried to work on riding with used tyres. At the end, with the new tyres, I was quite competitive. Unfortunately, I touched the green on the last lap, if not I would have been in P4. But the most important thing is that I stayed inside the top 10, so I can enter Q2 this afternoon. We will try very hard in Q2 to make a good lap and get a good starting position.






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NOTES



FP3 TEMPERATURES:

Air: 13°

Humidity: 61%

Ground: 14°

Source: Yamaha Motor Racing

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