The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team rider has secured his place in tomorrow’s Q2, whilst Marco Morelli will have to compete in Q1 once again
The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team has faced a difficult start to the Malaysian Grand Prix. The high temperatures, with track temperatures hovering around fifty degrees, have posed a challenge for the Moto3 riders on this first day of practice. Máximo Quiles has secured his place in tomorrow’s Q2 after setting the eleventh-fastest time, whilst Marco Morelli will face Q1. At the top of the timesheets, Almansa was the fastest at Sepang, followed by Rico Salmela and Veda Pratama, all separated by mere thousandths.
Máximo Quiles and Marco Morelli have made an impressive start to the Malaysian Grand Prix. The CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team riders finished the morning’s free practice in second and third place respectively. In the afternoon, rising temperatures made riding more challenging, and both Quiles and Morelli struggled to improve their times. The Moto3 world champion was two tenths slower than in the morning session, causing him to drop down to eleventh place. Even so, his best time of 2:11.906 has secured him a place in tomorrow’s Q2, and he remains confident he can take a step forward that will allow him to fight for the top positions on the grid once again. His team-mate Marco Morelli rediscovered his pace in the first session of the day, but, like Quiles, faced a very different situation in the afternoon. Track conditions affected his riding and he didn’t feel comfortable on his bike, which meant he posted slower lap times and was well off the pace. Ultimately, his time of 2:12.883 placed him in twenty-second position, meaning he will have to go through Q1 tomorrow.
11th Máximo Quiles 2:11.906 (+0.479): “The feeling today wasn’t the best, but that’s to be expected given the temperature. It’s something we’re all struggling with and we have to deal with it. We had a good practice session this morning, but there are things to improve on. The most positive thing is that we’re through to Q2 tomorrow, so we’ll keep working to take another step forward and prepare for the race as best we can.”
22nd Marco Morelli 2:11.883 (+1.456): “I didn’t finish the day as I’d hoped today. After doing a good job in the morning, it was hotter this afternoon and the conditions were tougher. I didn’t feel quite as comfortable, but even so, it wasn’t a good session. I tried to find a benchmark to help me go faster and perhaps I could have given it a go on my own. It’s a shame to have to go through Q1 again; nobody wants that. I’ll keep working on my own performance to keep moving forward and make it into Q2.”
