Sunny day at Phillip Island where the MotoGP riders have battled in the qualifying session valid for the Grand Prix of Australia. The red and white duo didn’t make it to go further than the fifth row with Elias and Guintoli respectively in thirteenth and fourteenth position. The Catalan rider encountered some difficulties with the tyres, while the French rider crashed in the morning session fracturing his left shoulder blade. Not at the best condition he has chosen anyway to step on the bike in the afternoon concluding only a few thousands of a second from his teammate. Thanks to the help of the Clinica Mobile doctors he will try to recover in the best way possible for tomorrow’s race that will start at 4pm local time.
Fabiano Sterlacchini – Alice Team Technical Director
“We have some problems with the temperature. Toni found a hard time to warm up his rear tire and I think this is due to his riding style. Compare to the yesterday’s first free practice we have improved our lap times, but we are still too far from the fastest riders. Tomorrow morning we will have to understand what to modify to improve his rhythm. Sylvain has injured his left shoulder blade and notwithstanding the doctors suggested him to don’t ride this afternoon, he preferred to step on his bike and with his physical condition he hasn’t done so bad.”
Toni Elias – Alice Team rider (13th best lap time in 1’30.202 – Total laps 24)
“I found the same problem as yesterday with the tyres. There was the same temperature and the feeling was, unfortunately, the same. We kept the same handicap and like this it was impossible to push to the maximum. With the race tire I made it to reached the ninth best lap time and I hope to improve even more tomorrow. I think that at the beginning of the race I will have to be really careful to let the tyres warm up in the best way possible.”
Sylvain Guintoli – Alice Team rider (14th best lap time in 1’30.297 – Total laps 29)
“I have a lot of pain in the left shoulder. I have fractured the left shoulder blade and like this it is really hard to push to the maximum. Edwards has allowed me to follow him in the fast lap and I conquer a good lap time. Tomorrow it will be anyway really hard for me due to my physical conditions, but I will give my best as always.”
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