Bendsneyder fast in varied conditions at Sepang

The penultimate round of the Moto3 season began this Friday at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. The Red Bull KTM Ajo riders undertook two completely different Free Practice sessions: The first in hot conditions and on a completely dry track; and the second, in the rain. In both sessions, both Bo Bendsneyder and Niccolo Antonelli were within the Top 10, with their FP1 positions of sixth and eighth, respectively, those they occupied on the combined timesheet. Good weather greeted the Moto3 riders for the first session of the weekend. Both Bendsneyder and Antonelli used their first stints to get a feel for a track at which they hadn’t ridden for a year. It was after their only pit stop that both took an important step forward. Bendsneyder, sixth, was one of only six riders to go round in under 2:14, with a 2:13.961 lap. Teammate Antonelli was less than a tenth slower, in eighth with a 2:14.054. A similar script was followed by the Red Bull KTM Ajo pair in the second session, but with a major change: FP2 took place in the rain, on a completely wet track. This was not a problem for Bendsneyder, and with 5 minutes remaining he climbed to second position with a 2:29.321 time. Antonelli put in one last quick lap after the chequered flag came out, to place in the Top 5 with the fourth best time of 2:29.515.

Results (Combined practice times FP1-FP2)
1. Joan Mir (Honda) 2:13:129
2. Adam Norrodin (Honda) 2:13.409 +0.280
3. Livio Loi (Honda) 2:13.437 +0.308
4. Romano Fenati (Honda) 2:13.581 +0.452
5. Enea Bastianini (Honda) 2:13.728 +0.599
6. Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 2:13.961 +0.832
8. Niccolo Antonelli (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 2:14.054 +0.925

64 BO BENDSNEYDER
“The truth is that the feeling on the bike today was good, both in the dry and in the wet. We will see what conditions we encounter tomorrow, because it seems that they will be similar to today, although if the rain comes later, maybe we can enjoy a dry qualifying session. I think we are in a good situation in any conditions that we are presented with, so we are prepared. I’m looking forward to tomorrow, and want to improve and do my best.”

Bendsneyder, Malaysian Moto3 2017

Source: ajo.fi

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