SCOTT REDDING ON THE FIFTH ROW AND ALEIX ESPARGARÓ ON THE SIXTH AT SILVERSTONE
The well-known instability of the weather at Silverstone played a leading role in the MotoGP qualifiers. The FP4 session, which started on a dry track, ended early due to a series of crashes on asphalt that had been made treacherous by the rain. Even Aleix Espargaró was involved in an off-track excursion, managing to keep the bike upright and returning his Aprilia RS-GP to pit lane.
In qualifying, the English track was divided into two parts: one part was almost dry, in contrast to other sections with wet asphalt, forcing the riders to put on rain tyres. This was a choice that did not reward Aleix Espargaró, who only turned one flying lap in the final moments of the session and was relegated to the sixth row.
Scott Redding, always fast in these conditions, found a good pace and skilfully exploited his feeling on the wettest sections. His spot on the fifth row in fourteenth place and the forecast for rain tomorrow make him optimistic for a good race.
ALEIX ESPARGARO’
“The biggest problems, even in the wet, stem from the uneven asphalt. In FP4 I was among the first to go out with a rain tyre and at the end of the back straight it was impossible to brake because of the aquaplaning. I thought I was going to crash, but instead I managed to slow down enough in the gravel and stopping just short of the air fence. Unfortunately, Tito was hit by a bike while he was on the ground. First and foremost, I hope that his condition is not too serious. In qualifying, the soft tyre we started with was not the best choice. I boxed to go out with the second bike, but I only had time for one flying lap. I think that with a second lap, Q2 could have been within our potential. It will be important to make the right choice tomorrow, always putting safety first, because in the wet there are some very critical points.”
SCOTT REDDING
“In qualifying, the wet tracked helped us, but the circuit was split into two parts. I was fast on the damp patches but lost a bit on the dry track. In these cases, tyre choice is always a compromise. At Silverstone, situations like today are the norm. I’d say that it is part of the charm of this race. Tomorrow I would prefer to race on a wet track, but in any case I’ll do my best to give the fans a good show.”
