Tech 3 Racing Team riders Louis Rossi and Danny Kent will commence their 2013 Moto2 World Championship challenges in Qatar tomorrow night from 22nd and 26th place on the grid respectively.
Tonight's 45-minute qualifying session under the spectacular Losail International Circuit floodlights proved to be a difficult challenge for Rossi and Kent, who are still in the process of working with the Tech 3 Racing Team to get the maximum performance out of the Mistral 610.
Both have been working tirelessly throughout practice and qualifying on continuing to adapt their riding style to suit the heavier and more powerful 600cc Honda-supplied engine after graduating from the Moto3 category they raced in during last season.
A treacherously slippery track surface certainly didn't help preparations this evening, with an earlier gusting wind blowing sand and dust onto the 5.38km surface, which had a significant impact on the amount of grip available once again.
Disappointed not to have challenged higher up the grid in qualifying, both remain optimistic that they can kick off the 2013 campaign with a challenge for the top 15 in tomorrow night's 20-lap race, which is the first of 17 on this year's World Championship calendar.
Frenchman Rossi set a best time of 2.02.607 that placed him just outside of the top 20 and he was just a fraction over one second away from the top 10.
British rider Kent, who won two out of the last four races in the 2012 Moto3 World Championship, will make his Moto2 debut from 26th position on the grid after he set a personal best time of 2.03.039. The tricky track conditions have made it difficult for Kent to find a set-up he is comfortable with and his crew plan further modifications in advance of the race to try and improve his feeling.
Louis Rossi 22nd 2.02.607 – 16 laps:
“I am not very happy with the final position on the grid but it is not too bad considering this was my first Moto2 qualifying session. The gap to the front is not huge and I am not far away from the top 15, so finishing in the points will be my goal tomorrow night. I am sure with a good start I can recover some places and then it will be about learning how to manage the bike over the race distance, which I have no experience of. I am quite confident but I would be happier if I had more feeling from the front tyre. I am not sure where the limit is but I think that is down to my lack of experience in this class rather than it being an issue with the set-up of the bike. I am still adapting my style but I am really looking forward to my first race in Moto2 and I want to thank my Tech 3 Racing crew for working hard to help me progress.”
Danny Kent 26th 2.03.039 - 16 laps:
“Obviously I am disappointed to be starting my first race in Moto2 with the Tech 3 Racing Team in 26th position on the grid and it has not been an easy weekend so far. I have struggled all weekend and although we have made a lot of changes to the Mistral 610 machine we have not found a solution that enables me to push with a lot of confidence. We will make some further modifications to the bike for the race and hopefully I can improve my pace and get into a good battle that will help me gain some experience.”
Tech 3 Racing Press Release
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