Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp‘s Manuel Gonzalez and Kohta Nozane used the first day of riding at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit to adapt to the fast and flowing track layout. The duo took 5th and 29th place respectively in the combined P1+P2 rankings.
Gonzalez lost a bit of time at the start of P1, having to make an extra pit stop after his first lap. However, once back on track, he was quick to set the fourth fastest time of the session thus far. He improved on it several times, but despite his efforts he slowly slipped down the order. He ended the session in 22nd place with a 1‘34.893s best time, set on lap 17/17.
The Spaniard put in the work needed in the afternoon. He really likes the Phillip Island track and was confident that he could secure a provisional spot in Saturday‘s Q2. He used the majority of the 40-minute session preparing for the usual P2 time attack in the final stages. Picking up the pace on his last run, Manugass began to feature inside the top-10. In the final ten minutes, he climbed as high as fifth with a 1‘33.180s best time, set on lap 14/18, and held the position in the P2 and combined P1+P2 results.
Nozane was excited to ride on the Phillip Island track again, which he knows from his WorldSBK years. But the MotoGP paddock visits the track in October, meaning they have to contend with somewhat cooler conditions. The Japanese rider used P1 to adjust his riding style to the Moto2 bike. He got in 17 laps in total and posted his best time, a 1‘37.017s, on lap 4. It left him in 30th place in the P1 timesheets and keen to improve.
The number-5 rider found more speed at the flowing Australian track in the afternoon. He and his crew made some drastic bike setting changes before P2, and Nozane showed his determination as he put in another 19 laps. Finding better lines and reaching higher speed, he started gaining confidence. His best time, a 1‘35.180s set on lap 17, was almost two seconds faster than his morning time. It put him in 29th place in the P2 and combined results.
The Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp teammates will be back in action from 09:25 - 09:55 GMT +11 on Saturday for P3, followed by the qualifying sessions from 13:45 - 14:25.
