MAPFRE Aspar rider Jonas Folger started out this morning with the same bike set-up as Indianapolis and it served him well as he ended the first session with the fourth fastest time. As the day progressed the German struggled with some grip and vibration issues that slowed his progress but after finishing with the fifth fastest time, less than half a second off the top, the signs are positive if he can make improvements tomorrow. MAPFRE Aspar Team rookie Eric Granado endured a difficult first day, the Brazilian youngster struggling to adapt to the demands of Brno on a Moto3 bike having only ever ridden a Moto2 here before and finishing up down in 33rd position.
5th Jonas Folger 2.09.412 (25 laps): “We arrived here with the same set-up as Indianapolis, which was a good base, but we have made a few alterations as the day went on. The lap times improved but the bike was sliding around at the apex of the corners and we had some vibrations, especially on new tyres, that we weren't able to fix. It seems the bike is too stiff so we have played around with the suspension and this will be our main focus tomorrow. We have quite a lot of work to do.”
33rd Eric Granado 2.12.067 (31 laps): “I have struggled to get a feel for the track today. I rode here last year on the Moto2 bike but it is like a completely different track on a Moto3 and I think that is partly why I am having trouble. I need to improve my corner speed and exits. This morning we played around with the geometry and shortened the wheelbase to try and get the bike handling better, which helped, but we still have a lot of work to do. I need more confidence when it comes to opening the throttle. We are a bit lost at the moment but there is a long way to go in this Grand Prix and we will work hard to improve the situation tomorrow.”
Mapfre Aspar Moto3 Press Release
