After a relatively low-key weekend, Luca Marini surprised in the qualifying session of the MotoGP Thai GP. The rider from the Mooney VR46 Racing Team secured the second position, only beaten by Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati).
The Italian was pleasantly surprised by the result and explained to the official broadcast that he was able to make good use of the medium rear tire that had been causing him to struggle in terms of pace:
– It’s so fantastic, because I didn’t expect. With the medium rear [tyre] I’m struggling a lot this weekend because of the movements in all the accelerations. I’m losing a lot of time. But to make just one crazy lap it’s an amazing tyre, with a lot of grip. So I was able to use it a lot to make a very good acceleration in all the corners. So, this is a fantastic feeling because when you can do a very good lap it’s just amazing – and especially here, with the grid position, the start and the first lap being very important with this hot temperature.
According to Marini, the early moments of the races will be particularly crucial: ‘The pace of everybody is so good and the gap between one and another rider is so tiny. So, it will be important to cross the finish line in the first lap in the top three positions. And then let’s see what happen’.