Impressive Third Place For Di Giannantonio On Day 1 At Mugello. Top 10 For Bastianini, Back On Track After The Injury
The Italian Grand Prix at Mugello kicked off today in an extremely positive way for the Gresini Racing Team Moto3: Fabio Di Giannantonio set the third fastest time – 1’58”892 – at the end of the first two free practice sessions while his team mate Enea Bastianini, returning after breaking his right wrist during training last April 27, closed the combined classification of the lap times in tenth position with 1’59”261.
After overnight rain, this morning’s first free practice session was held on a track still damp: actually, the Moto3 riders only took advantage of the 40-minute afternoon session to work significantly on their bikes. Already 13th in the morning session with a damp track, Di Giannantonio completed 15 laps on the dry resulting one of the fastest riders, behind Japanese Ono and compatriot Francesco Bagnaia.
Bastianini, who preferred to put in only a couple of laps in the morning, completed 12 laps in the afternoon session, getting good a feedback with regard to his physical condition. The 18-year-old rider from Rimini in fact has not felt too much pain, apart sometimes during braking, and tomorrow he will continue to work together with his team looking for a good set-up that can help him to ride in a smooth and relaxed way.
ENEA BASTIANINI (10th – 1’59”261)
“I’m very happy, to close the first day of qualifying in the top ten! Four days ago at the Misano test I struggled a lot to ride on right-handers, but today I immediately saw that the situation has improved and I found myself quite comfortable. I have not too pain in the arm, just sometimes during braking. However I’m struggling under braking and on the changes of direction, so it will be important to be able to find a good set-up that can allow me to be fast, riding in a relaxed way. In this way we can try to give our best over the race distance, without feeling too much pain”.
FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO (3rd – 1’58”892)
“This morning on a damp track we started things calmly, improving step by step, as always, although in the final stages of the session we made a good lap time. In the afternoon, in the dry, we tried to push a little more, and I immediately felt quite at ease with the bike. In the end I put in a very good lap, but we stay with our feet on the ground because the lap times can still improve significantly. I’m pleased with this beginning, we hope to continue like this tomorrow! The bike is working well, but we will work especially on the front end to make the bike turn easily on the chicanes: if we can improve this aspect we can make a good step forward!”.
FAUSTO GRESINI
“We are pleased with the results of this first day of practice: Di Giannantonio managed to be fast throughout all the afternoon session, and this is undoubtedly a positive signal. I was a little concerned about the physical condition of Bastianini, but actually emerged are positive signals also regarding Enea, who worked well with the team. Obviously he’s still not one hundred percent, but we are optimistic. To start our home GP with both riders in the top positions is a great satisfaction, we will try to continue like this tomorrow!”.
