AMERICAS GP

David Alonso leads the way on the first day in Austin

The CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team rider has been the fastest in the two sessions held 

David Alonso has been the fastest on the first day of practice at the Circuit of the Americas. The CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team rider has led  both practice sessions and is one of the favourites for the weekend. Alonso set a time of 2:16.537 in the morning session and, in the afternoon, he has lowered his own time to 2:15.173. The young Colombian has been very fast on the time attack since the start and has been the first rider in the lightweight category to go under 2:15. Alonso has finished the day just half a second off the circuit record, held by Aron Canet since 2017. The CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team rider has spent the first day in Austin preparing for Sunday's race, especially trying to better understand the tyres, a factor that will be key. Spanish rider Jose Antonio Rueda has finished second, a tenth of a second behind Alonso, and rookie Ángel Piqueras has finished third, three tenths behind, while the World Championship leader Daniel Holgado has been fourth. 

On the other side of the garage, Joel Esteban, who has ridden at the Circuit of the Americas today for the first time, has finished in 20th position. The Spanish rider has shown great progress and has managed to improve his own time by more than a second from one session to the next, although he has been unable to set a good fast lap. The CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team rider is confident ahead of tomorrow's qualifying, a session in which he hopes to make a step forward. 


1st David Alonso (2:15.173): "I am happy with the bike because I feel very comfortable on it. After what happened in Portimao, I have worked on understanding the tyres and knowing which is the best option for the race. Tomorrow I still have to work on this because, although it is important to qualify well, you also have to prepare the race from the beginning and to know what the best strategy will be." 

20th Joel Esteban (+1.347): "It has been a positive first day on a new circuit. From the first moment I have felt comfortable, although some areas have been difficult for me at the first start. I have focused on improving them and I have managed to do so. I have not been able to set a fast lap, but I have worked on the set-up and I am sure we will make a step forward tomorrow."