Qualifying
Moto2 2024
Round 4

Promising Saturday for Chantra and Aji despite rain in Jerez

es Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto
Promising Saturday for Chantra and Aji despite rain in Jerez

The IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia riders wrapped up qualifying day at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto. Somkiat Chantra had a consistent performance throughout all sessions, but a stroke of bad luck on his last lap in Qualifying 2 kept him from securing a spot on the front row. Meanwhile, Mario Aji showed promising speed in the last practice session, breaking into the top 15. However, he faced challenges during qualifying and found it tough to follow the times of the riders in the middle of the grid.


Hiroshi Aoyama
Hiroshi Aoyama
On today’s Qualifying day in Jerez, first in the morning during practice session the track was wet, and although conditions improved for Qualifying, there were still damp patches on the track. This made it challenging to find the optimal racing line, especially during the critical time attack phase.

Despite the difficulties, both riders put in solid efforts. However, Chantra encountered traffic just as he was setting his best time, preventing him from securing a spot on the front row. It was a missed opportunity considering his pace.

Similarly, Mario made some mistakes during his fastest lap, costing him valuable time and ultimately resulting in a 27th place finish. However, given the tricky conditions, his performance was commendable. Looking ahead to tomorrow's race, the hope is that both riders can find their path and achieve better results. We'll have to wait and see what unfolds on race day in Jerez. 

Somkiat Chantra
Somkiat Chantra 35
IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia
Today, we had our final practice session and the qualifying, and the weather played a significant role. During practice, we had to switch to wet tires due to the rain. We adjusted the bike settings accordingly, and everything seemed fine.

In qualifying, I aimed to set a good lap time despite the challenging conditions. With parts of the track still wet and others drying up, we had to adjust the bike to maintain a good setup. As I approached my final lap, I was performing well in the first two sectors, setting a fast pace. However, in the third sector, I encountered a slower rider ahead. Trying to maneuver around them almost led to a crash, ultimately preventing me from achieving the lap time I had hoped for. I know that we’re strong this weekend and I’m looking forward to showing it on tomorrow’s race. 

Mario Aji
Mario Aji 34
IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia
Today was a challenging day for me, but it's all about learning to navigate tricky situations. Despite the difficulties, I'm pleased with the progress we've made. It was my first-time riding in wet conditions, and to finish in the top 15 during practice session it was not bad. 

I'm grateful for the hard work of our team. Unfortunately, I struggled to find my rhythm during qualifying. The track conditions were less than ideal, but that's the same for everyone. Perhaps other riders have more experience handling such situations, but for me, it was tough. Nevertheless, I'm encouraged by the progress I've made in getting comfortable with the bike. The feedback I provide to the team is valuable in understanding what adjustments we need to make.

Looking ahead to tomorrow's race, I'm feeling optimistic. Despite the challenges, I have a good feeling and confidence with the bike. Tomorrow will be a funny race, I guess, because I have a good feeling and confidence with the bike. So, let's see.


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