Johann Zarco starts Italian GP with good pace

29/05/2015

Moto2 World Championship leader starts sixth round of the season with good feeling and time that places him second, just 0.001s off the best lap of the day.

Zarco, Moto2, Italian MotoGP 2015

Zarco, Moto2, Italian MotoGP 2015

Only 0.001s separated Johann Zarco from the top time on the first day of the Italian Grand Prix. The Frenchman used the final practice session of the day to show his excellent form and make a positive step forward ahead of Sunday’s race. Besides setting a great lap, the Ajo Motorsport rider also found a consistent pace.

At one of the fastest circuits in the World Championship, the Ajo Motorsport rider made steady improvement throughout the opening practice session, putting together a run of several fastest laps on his last outing and being especially fast in the second sector. With a time of 1:53.320, Zarco completed the morning at Mugello in fifth place.

Improving his pace lap-by-lap and in steady fashion during three stints, the Moto2 series leader climbed up the timesheets as the afternoon session progressed. With a devastating pace and a best time of 1:52.312 from his seventeenth lap, Zarco closed the first day of the GP weekend in second position on the combined timesheets.

The qualifying session for the Moto2 Italian GP will start on Saturday at 3:05pm. It was at this track that Johann Zarco took his first World Championship pole position, in his first spell with Ajo Motorsport in 2011.

Results (Combined practice time FP1-FP2)
1. Tito Rabat (Kalex) 1:52.311
2. Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) 1:52.312 +0.001
3. Sam Lowes (Speed Up) 1:52.542 +0.231
4. Thomas Luthi (Kalex) 1:52.665 +0.354
5. Simone Corsi (Kalex) 1:52.922 +0.611

Johann Zarco,
“This morning I spent my time reacquainting myself with the circuit. I felt good without riding very aggressively, but in the afternoon I had to go a step further and go faster –which I did. We worked very well with the team, the bike has been improved and my times have got better too. We still have work to do, but we have started the weekend well. I have to be focused, but take things calmly. Going that fast, but feeling a little more comfortable on the bike, would help us to fight for victory. I like the pace that we had today. I’m happy, but we still have work to do with the team.”

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