The practice sessions on Saturday at the Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix stood out above all for the great uncertainty, where bad weather that plagued the Phillip Island circuit with downpours alternated with times when the track was almost dry. It was difficult to find the right pace in this situation, but more importantly, impossible to set up the traditional work in the garage, both in terms of settings and evaluation of the available tyre options.
The Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders focused mainly on adapting quickly to the changing track conditions. Stefan Bradl was quick to take advantage of the dry track during FP3 to go through to Q2, a goal he achieved with a seventh best time of 1’34.914. Alvaro Bautista, who shone in the initial stages, had his session compromised by the umpteenth downpour that kept him from improving. In Q1, the Spanish rider chose to stay on the track for the entire session, but he was unable to find the right feeling, settling in the end for the eighteenth best time.
In Q2, which decides the starting order for the first four rows of the grid, Stefan Bradl used the right strategy, going out straight away with intermediate tyres and doing some very interesting times. With the asphalt drying out, many riders chose slicks, which Stefan also used to do two very fast laps. The best of the two, at 1’33.015, allowed him to ride his Aprilia RS-GP to his best placement yet in qualifying, an eighth place that earns him a spot on the third row of the starting grid.
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