The weather forecast was correct and the MotoGP action took place on a wet track today at Assen during the free and the qualifying sessions. In the morning, Reale Avintia Racing riders Hector Barbera and Loris Baz finished sixth and ninth, which boosted the team’s expectations ahead of Q1.
But in the afternoon, both riders completely lost the good feelings from the morning sessions. Both suffered with a lack of rear grip and were not able to match their morning’s pace. Nevertheless, Baz gave his best until the last lap, trying to get in Q2. It was not possible and he was fourth at the end of Q1. Tomorrow he will start the race from 14th place on the fifth row of the grid.
Barbera was far from his pace in FP3 and he will start the race from the penultimate row of the grid. Both riders are still confident for the race and they don’t care if it takes place in dry or wet conditions.
“We were close to make it through to Q2! This morning I had a great feeling in wet conditions, but this afternoon, the feeling was different and riding was more difficult. This morning I crashed, but the grip was fantastic, unlike in Q1 where I had no grip at all and where riding was very tricks in the last sector of the circuit. I was in the top three or four the whole session and I tried my best until the final lap…I knew that I had to put it all together for a perfect lap and it was going well until T3. I was close to crashing about ten times on my last lap and, although I improved my pace, it was not enough. Still, my grid position is not so bad. It will be interesting to see what the weather will be like tomorrow. I think that we can be strong in any condition and get a good result in the race.”
“Qualifying was really difficult. This morning I finished sixth and my feeling was great. But this afternoon it was like riding on a different track, we had no rear grip and I felt like I was going to crash in every single turn. With this feeling it was impossible to push and I was not able to be fast like in the morning. In just 15 minutes you can´t stop to change the set-up, and therefore we will start from the rear of the grid tomorrow. The conditions changed and I have to find a way to adapt better when this happens. Sincerely I don’t know what conditions would be best for us tomorrow. This morning I was fast in the rain, but it was a disaster in the afternoon. Yesterday I was okay in the morning and didn’t do too well in the afternoon…all I know is that we have to give our best in any condition.”
