MotoGP practice pacesetter for the Malaysian Grand Prix Andrea Dovizioso says his speed ‘came easy’, and branded his Friday as ‘perfect’ as he seeks to reignite his title challenge this weekend.
Ducati’s Dovizioso comes into the penultimate round of the 2017 championship 33 points adrift of standings leader Marc Marquez after tallying up his worst result since Phillip Island 2015 with a 13th in Australia last weekend.
The Italian – who won last year’s wet Sepang race – edged Aspar Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista to top spot in the dry first session with a 2m00.671s, and continued to set the pace in the wet afternoon outing with a 2m11.640s.
Happy with his pace in the wet, he admits to still having some uncertainty regarding his true dry pace. He also confirmed he had no intention of setting the pace on Friday as a statement to his title rival.
“It was the perfect day,” the Ducati rider stated.
“I’m really happy about the laptime I did this morning. It was quite fast from the beginning, especially in the wet.
“In the wet we confirm good things from last year and it was even better. I’m really happy about that.
“In the moment (we are better in) the wet, but it’s possible that in the dry we weren’t really able to work because this morning we did just two exits.
“The first one was a little bit wet, so we didn’t work on the bike. But, for sure, in all the we we have a small advantage.
“I didn’t have in my mind to be the first today to put the pressure (on Marquez). It just came out quite easy, so it’s even better.”
Marquez also concedes his dry pace remains an unknown after spending the entire dry period of first practice on the same medium rear tyre, but was nevertheless pleased with his pace in both conditions.
“It’s especially difficult to understand where we are in the dry,” said the Honda rider.
“But in the wet we’re there, no so far. Dovi was very, very fast in FP2 but I was working well.
“We have a few areas to work on, but there two long straights and the Ducati is very strong there.
“And then in Turn 3 I need to improve to get more grip at the rear in the dry, and in the wet we need to try and improve the front feeling.”
