Problems in the Thailand race, but speed is not lacking

Friday, October 25th - Practices

The team dedicated the first session of the weekend in Thailand mainly to bike setup rather than fast laps. With the new tires, all riders are clocking significantly faster times than last year, a trend seen across all 2024 tracks. Almansa made a solid start, finishing 15th despite focusing on bike configuration improvements. Bertelle faced a more challenging session, ending further back after an additional stop in the box.

In the early stages of Practice 1, both riders placed in the top 15, immediately setting better times than in the morning. Bertelle focused on time attacks, while Almansa suffered a minor fall at Turn 9, though it didn’t impact his session significantly. The lap times improved, but Bertelle couldn't complete his fast lap due to another rider pushing him wide on his last lap with new tires. Almansa, meanwhile, secured 8th position despite the fall, temporarily earning direct access to Q2.

Saturday, October 26th - Practices and Qualifying

During Practice 2, improved conditions allowed riders to lower their lap times compared to Friday, showcasing the team's speed more effectively. Both riders maintained stable positions within the top 15 for much of the session, clocking their best times in the final laps after a tire change. Matteo Bertelle finished just outside the direct access zone for Q2, a goal that Almansa managed to achieve.

In Q1, Bertelle stood out, initially topping the charts and eventually finishing second, comfortably securing his spot in Q2. In the 15-minute Q2 session, both riders completed a solid lap; however, Bertelle's second attempt was hampered by the cluster of riders on track, ultimately placing him 13th on the grid. Almansa adopted a more strategic approach, managing an additional lap during his time attack, and improved to finish in the third row, securing 8th position.

Sunday, October 27th - Race

The race was shortened to 12 laps, effectively creating a Sprint race due to the damp track conditions, which led race control to require extra warm-up laps before the starting grid.

A challenging start for both riders, who found themselves on the defensive from the very first laps, losing some positions early in the race. Almansa was pushed off track in the opening stages, while Bertelle continued to tackle the remainder of this short race defensively, staying toward the back of the group but managing to regain a few positions in the last two laps.

This “Sprint” race ended with Almansa in 20th and Bertelle in 21st, as they faced these difficulties during the race.

Commenti dei piloti

A tough race for Matteo Bertelle due to an unexpected issue: “I’m disappointed about the race because we were consistently improving throughout the weekend. Unfortunately, I had a small issue right from the start of the Grand Prix that kept me from giving 100%. Now, we’re looking forward to wrapping up this Asian tour in Malaysia, continuing to work hard and improve.”

David Almansa faced difficulties in the race due to an early contact that forced him off track on a wet line: “Throughout the weekend, I’ve always felt fast, and that confidence we lacked at the beginning of the season is now back. I lost several positions due to a contact early in the race that pushed me wide off the track. Now we’re staying positive with the team, and I look forward to riding in Sepang to confirm the speed we’ve found during the championship.”