Andrea Dovizioso got off to a great start in the Malaysian GP, the penultimate round of the 2017 MotoGP World Championship held this weekend at the Sepang circuit. The Italian rider set the quickest time in both the dry morning session and the afternoon run, which was held in the rain.
Andrea Dovizioso
“Today was a very positive day because we were quickest both this morning in the dry and in the afternoon in the wet, and it was very important to start in this way at Sepang. We know that there’s still a lot of work to do, especially in the dry, and we hope to have some sessions with the track in a good condition tomorrow so that we can prepare the best settings for the race. In any case, it was good that we confirmed our pace in the wet and today went even better than last year, so I’m very satisfied: my Desmosedici goes really well in the wet, we’ve got an excellent grip and it was quite easy for me to go quick.”
? #MotoGP FP2
No improvements on this morning’s times means @AndreaDovizioso ends day one on top#MalaysianGP pic.twitter.com/0TyjT9NLBT
— MotoGP™??? (@MotoGP) October 27, 2017
Álvaro Bautista
“My feelings are positive again, both in the dry and in the wet, unlike Australia where I didn’t feel comfortable. The temperature in Sepang is helping us a little more. I am feeling happy at the end of this first day. We have made a comparison between the setup from the February test and the recent races and it is difficult to say which is better. For now, at least, I am happier with the one from the test, when we were fast and consistent. If we can get through to Q2 it would be a good result tomorrow.”
Johann Zarco
“After the first day of action, I feel good even if I fell in FP2 this afternoon. The track was slippery and we had a small issue with the rear of the bike. It was starting to dry more and more but I pushed a bit too much and fell. Nevertheless, I am happy about the first practice. The conditions were tricky. But neither the team nor the riders knew if it was fully dry so we had to take it step by step. Yet, at the end of the session, it was totally clear and possible to push. Lap after lap the grip improved and my feeling was positive. In the end, I have finished Friday in 3rd. So we can be pleased with our work on day 1 in Malaysia.”
When you don’t know your own strength? pic.twitter.com/gwZYmk3T2K
— MotoGP™??? (@MotoGP) October 27, 2017
