Zarco wraps up Friday at Mandalika
Pertamina Mandalika International CircuitCASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco concluded Friday’s sessions at the Mandalika Circuit in 14th position.
・The Frenchman delivered a solid morning performance in Indonesia, identifying both encouraging positives and key areas for improvement with the new package.
・Despite suffering a crash during Practice, Zarco battled fiercely and maintained positions within Q2 contention. Unfortunately, a second crash late in the session prevented him from securing a spot in Q2.
・The team is focused on adjusting the setup to help Johann feel more comfortable and confident on the bike, as there are still some areas where he doesn’t feel at ease to fully push. On the bright side, he has shown strong potential in sector two, where speed and performance have improved noticeably.
・There is a promising opportunity to advance from Q1 to Q2, with the team fully committed to further progress ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying and Sprint race.
Somkiat Chantra completes Friday sessions in Mandalika
IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Somkiat Chantra finished 20th on Friday at the Mandalika Circuit in Indonesia.
・Thai rider Somkiat Chantra got off to a positive start at the Mandalika Circuit, a track he knows well and where he’s had strong results in the past.
・Riding a MotoGP bike here for the first time brought a mix of good signs and a few challenges as he adjusted to the new demands.
・In the afternoon, Chantra started Practice with good pace, but a crash midway through the session disrupted his rhythm. Fortunately, he didn’t suffer any physical consequences, though the incident prevented him from pushing further, and he ended the day in 20th place.
The second crash happened very fast, but I’m fine, I just slid out. Today I’ve been struggling a bit with the front end of the bike, and we’re working hard to fix that. I wanted to stay competitive and push hard, but sometimes crashes happen. It’s a pity to miss out on Q2, but we’ll give everything tomorrow to get through Q1. We’re trying different setups to regain that good feeling. The new bike’s grip is better, and the engine performance has improved too; we just need to find the right balance.
The second crash happened very fast, but I’m fine, I just slid out. Today I’ve been struggling a bit with the front end of the bike, and we’re working hard to fix that. I wanted to stay competitive and push hard, but sometimes crashes happen. It’s a pity to miss out on Q2, but we’ll give everything tomorrow to get through Q1. We’re trying different setups to regain that good feeling. The new bike’s grip is better, and the engine performance has improved too; we just need to find the right balance.
It’s been a tough day for me. I struggled to find the right feeling with different tyres, and in the afternoon, while trying to push for a fast lap time, I crashed after losing the front. Luckily, I’m fine. We will try different things tomorrow to take a step forward and improve, as I really like this circuit and I believe we can do a good job.
It’s been a tough day for me. I struggled to find the right feeling with different tyres, and in the afternoon, while trying to push for a fast lap time, I crashed after losing the front. Luckily, I’m fine. We will try different things tomorrow to take a step forward and improve, as I really like this circuit and I believe we can do a good job.
