Folger: We can be really content
MotoGP rookie Jonas Folger capped off the Phillip Island test in a stunning fourth place following three highly productive days of running on his Tech 3 Yamaha YZR-M1.
The German rider was on impressive form throughout the week, finishing inside the top 10 in every session. From Wednesday to Friday, Folger improved on his lap time by 1.5s and concluded the week with a 1m29.042s.
The Tech 3 rider focused on race simulations on his M1 today, though his first run was interrupted by a small crash at the left-hander of Turn 6. Unharmed in the incident, Folger returned to the 2.7-mile circuit shortly afterwards on his second bike and resumed his long run.
“I started a race simulation, but after three or four laps I crashed at Turn ,” he said.
“I returned to the track on my second bike that had a different setting, and after completing 11 laps or so my confidence came back and I became faster and faster.”
Folger completed 190 laps this week, 63 of which coming on the final day alone, and is confident in the direction he and the team need to take with set-up in Qatar next month.
“Today was another good day and we can head home feeling positive about what we accomplished at Phillip Island.
“Now we know which direction we have to head towards and we will try again in Qatar. However, for the moment, we can be fully satisfied about what we completed here because the rhythm was good, the lap time was strong, we tried many options and we sorted a lot of things out, so we can be really content.”
Fellow MotoGP debutante and Tech 3 team-mate Johann Zarco was 15th fastest on a 1m29.670s. The double Moto2 world champion completed 87 laps today, bringing his week total up to an incredible 255.