Red Bull KTM Ajo riders start Catalan GP with a good feeling, placing ninth and eleventh, respectively, and using the only dry session of the day to adapt to the new track layout.

Action at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya started in a positive way for Bo Bendsneyder and Niccolo Antonelli. The Red Bull KTM Ajo riders had a demanding first day, in which their first Free Practice session took place on wet asphalt and the second session in dry conditions. In FP2, both were able to adapt to the new design of the last sector, finishing the day in 9th and 11th position, respectively.

The conditions early in the morning made learning the new layout difficult, as overnight rainfall forced the Moto3 riders to run wet tyres in FP1. Antonelli and Bendsneyder used the entire session, despite the mixed conditions on the track, and led the timesheets at several moments. In the end, they finished with the seventh –2:07.308– and tenth –2:07.655– best times, respectively.

In the afternoon, the Moto3 riders were able to enjoy a dry track for the entire 40 minute practice. Bendsneyder and Antonelli gained confidence with every lap undertaken, and both were up into the Top 10 on their last stint –on new tyres. Finally, the Dutch rider closed the session ninth –1:55.028– and the Italian eleventh –1:55.080–, with both satisfied with their progress and adjustment to the redesigned sector.

Tomorrow both will have the opportunity to take a step forward qualifying, which will be held at 12:35pm local time.

Results (Combined practice time FP1 – FP2)
1. Aron Canet (Honda) 1:54.257
2. Romano Fenati (Honda) 1:54.544 +0.287
3. Joan Mir (Honda) 1:54.608 +0.351
4. Nicolo Bulega (KTM) 1:54.684 +0.427
5. Andrea Migno (KTM) 1:54.890 +0.644
9. Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:55.028 +0.771
11. Niccolo Antonelli (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1:55.080 +0.823

23 NICCOLO ANTONELLI
“I’m quite happy with today because, especially in the afternoon, we had a better feeling than at Mugello. I was a little anxious to see what feeling we would have at this circuit, but luckily the KTM responded very well. In terms of the new design for the last sector, I like it more than the variant they proposed last year. Tomorrow I want to take another step forward, and I am convinced that we can do that, because today we were able to go fast and it was a very positive first day.”

64 BO BENDSNEYDER
“In FP2 it was a bit difficult at first, because I didn’t have a good feeling with the front. The team has made some changes to the bike and everything improved a lot. I want to thank the team for their hard work, because thanks to this change we were able to take a step forward. We know that it is on the last sector -the remodeled part of the circuit- that we are losing the most time. I like the new design and the new chicane more than last year, but I still am not very fast there. Let’s look at what Niccolo [Antonelli] is doing differently, check the data and see how we can improve tomorrow.”