Aji to start P11 and Furusato P15 the MalaysianGP Race in Sepang
Sepang International CircuitIDEMITSU Honda Team Asia will line up for Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix with Mario Suryo Aji starting from P11 and Taiyo Furusato from P15, following a demanding qualifying day at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit.
Aji delivered an encouraging performance after a difficult final Practice session, where he finished P20. The Indonesian rider made a significant step forward in qualifying, securing 11th position with a best lap of 2’03.978. Starting from the fourth row, Aji will be looking to take advantage of his grid position and fight for a strong result in a race where tyre management is expected to play a crucial role.
On the other side of the garage, Furusato faced a more difficult Saturday. After finishing P25 in the final Practice session, the Japanese rider struggled to find the ideal feeling during qualifying. Traffic affected his performance in Q2, preventing him from completing the lap he was aiming for, and he eventually qualified in P15 with a time of 2’04.336. With potentially changing weather conditions expected on Sunday, both riders will need to remain adaptable and make the most of every opportunity.
A demanding race lies ahead in Sepang, where high temperatures, physical endurance and tyre management could prove decisive. The team will now focus on preparing for Sunday's challenge, with both riders determined to fight for valuable points.
Today was a demanding day for both riders, with very high temperatures in both the morning and afternoon sessions. The conditions were physically challenging, and managing the tyres was not easy.Both riders went through to Q2. In Furusato's case, he was doing quite well until the middle sector, but unfortunately, he encountered traffic and couldn't complete the perfect lap he needed. He finished P15, although I believe he could have achieved a better position. On Mario's side, I think he did a good job. He was performing well until the final sectors, where a small mistake cost him some time and ultimately affected his position. P11 is a positive starting point, but I believe both riders have the potential to do better.Tomorrow's race will be very demanding, both physically and for the machinery. Tyre management will be one of the key factors, and the weather could also change the situation completely. We need to be prepared for every scenario and see what we can achieve.
Today was a demanding day for both riders, with very high temperatures in both the morning and afternoon sessions. The conditions were physically challenging, and managing the tyres was not easy.Both riders went through to Q2. In Furusato's case, he was doing quite well until the middle sector, but unfortunately, he encountered traffic and couldn't complete the perfect lap he needed. He finished P15, although I believe he could have achieved a better position. On Mario's side, I think he did a good job. He was performing well until the final sectors, where a small mistake cost him some time and ultimately affected his position. P11 is a positive starting point, but I believe both riders have the potential to do better.Tomorrow's race will be very demanding, both physically and for the machinery. Tyre management will be one of the key factors, and the weather could also change the situation completely. We need to be prepared for every scenario and see what we can achieve.
This is my first time starting from such a good position at Sepang after five years of racing here, so I don't take it for granted. I'm grateful to have secured this grid position, and I'm happy with the bike and the work we have done together with the team.Tomorrow's race will be very tough, especially because tyre consumption will be a crucial factor throughout the 17 laps. Starting from the middle of the group gives us a good opportunity, and the target is to finish the race with a result that I can be satisfied with. Whatever the weather brings, I want to give my best from the first lap to the last. Thank you to the team and everyone who has come here to support us. Hopefully, we can all celebrate a positive result tomorrow.
This is my first time starting from such a good position at Sepang after five years of racing here, so I don't take it for granted. I'm grateful to have secured this grid position, and I'm happy with the bike and the work we have done together with the team.Tomorrow's race will be very tough, especially because tyre consumption will be a crucial factor throughout the 17 laps. Starting from the middle of the group gives us a good opportunity, and the target is to finish the race with a result that I can be satisfied with. Whatever the weather brings, I want to give my best from the first lap to the last. Thank you to the team and everyone who has come here to support us. Hopefully, we can all celebrate a positive result tomorrow.
Today was quite difficult for me, and I'm not completely happy with the result. I struggled to find the right feeling from the morning session, and in qualifying I also had some traffic that affected my final lap. I know I could have done better, so we need to analyse everything carefully and understand where we can improve.Tomorrow is another opportunity, and we have to keep working hard with the team to make a step forward. A good start will be very important, and I want to fight my way towards the front, overtake as many riders as possible and stay competitive throughout the race. The weather could also play an important role, so we need to be ready for any conditions. I will give my best and fight for the strongest result possible.
Today was quite difficult for me, and I'm not completely happy with the result. I struggled to find the right feeling from the morning session, and in qualifying I also had some traffic that affected my final lap. I know I could have done better, so we need to analyse everything carefully and understand where we can improve.Tomorrow is another opportunity, and we have to keep working hard with the team to make a step forward. A good start will be very important, and I want to fight my way towards the front, overtake as many riders as possible and stay competitive throughout the race. The weather could also play an important role, so we need to be ready for any conditions. I will give my best and fight for the strongest result possible.
