Ben Spies, back in the paddock after the five weeks away from the Moto championship, maintained a constant pace, closing out the morning's FP1 among the first ten in the rankings and registering a time of 1:51.105 at the end of FP2, the last session of the day.
Compared to this morning's session, when the track was neither wet nor dry, this second part of the day took place on a dry track, allowing the Texan to regain confidence in his motorcycle and build toward Sunday's race.
Ben Spies – Ignite Pramac Racing Team
“I feel a lot better. In doing everyday things, I've seen a huge improvement, but riding a bike is a completely different story. It’s not that easy, and we have to figure out the best direction to take. Today’s weather conditions were pretty difficult for getting back on the track. The second session was better, but it’s hard to get back on the bike, and I'm just trying to get back up to speed and get used to everything. It’s now more a weakness and instability problem than pain, but I know I'm still not 100% and it shows. I can't control everything yet, and I'm not happy about it, even though I expected it. Compared to Qatar and Austin, the straight-line braking strength is much better here, but on change of direction, especially in third and fourth gear chicanes while controlling the throttle and getting back on brakes--that’s where I'm struggling. I feel much more comfortable on the bike, and it's good to see and talk with the guys. Let’s see what happens tomorrow.”
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