Bastianini Masters Mixed Conditions To Score Important Front Row At Austin
Gresini Racing Team Moto3 rider Enea Bastianini has won an important third place at the end of this afternoon’s Qualifying for the Grand Prix of the Americas: the 18-year-old Italian will then start tomorrow from the front row of the grid together with German Philipp Oettl and Spaniard Jorge Navarro.
Bastianini was quick out of the blocks taking full advantage of the slick tyres on a track still damp in some places following the rain that fell before the start of the session: the lap time of 2’18”996 enabled him to maintain the third position before the return of the rain, which has not allowed the riders to improve further in the final stages of the Qualifying.
Things didn’t go the same way for young rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio: back on track with slick tyres after the first run with wet tyres, the 17-year-old rider from Rome failed to push hard in difficult conditions and as a result he will start tomorrow from the back of the grid with the 31st fastest time, 2’24”477.
ENEA BASTIANINI (3rd – 2’18”996)
“At the beginning of the session the conditions were critical: before going out on track the asphalt seemed very wet, then actually in the first lap with rain tyres I realized that it was drier than expected, so I came back into the pits for slicks. We have undoubtedly made a nice move, because many riders waited another lap to do so. We have been smart and I’m glad to have worked so well with the team. This front row is a great relief for me and for the team, because we couldn’t get a good result in qualifying for a while. For the race will still be important to take advantage of tomorrow morning’s Warm Up to continue working on the pace: we will need to keep a steady pace if we want to stay at the top. We will do our best to get a good result!”.
FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO (31st – 2’24”477)
“At the start of the session, after making one lap with rain tyres, I came back into the pits for slicks. Once I was back on the track, however, when it was time to push harder with the asphalt that was drying out, I didn’t have the right feeling to take risks. Too bad, it was my fault and today I had one of my worst ever qualifying sessions… Tomorrow I will try to recover some positions trying to follow Antonelli, who will start in front of me. I will give my best”.
FAUSTO GRESINI
“It was a difficult but positive qualifying: usually Enea is struggling in mixed conditions, but today he was really strong, although it was definitely not easy. I’m happy because we needed this front row, which will allow us to start from a very good position tomorrow. However, we hope to have a dry race tomorrow and to make a good Warm Up to refine some small details. Unfortunately Di Giannantonio has little experience and he was not able to push at the right time, therefore tomorrow his race will be definitely uphill. However, also these things are useful to gain experience, it’s a lesson for the future”.
