Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team‘s Manuel Gonzalez and Keminth Kubo used the Friday free practice sessions to find speed at the first wet and then drying TT Circuit Assen. They ended the first day of riding in 19th and 29th place respectively.
Gonzalez found it challenging to get into a good rhythm in the cold and wet morning session in The Netherlands. He kept pushing and gradually improved his pace, but he wasn‘t able to climb up the ranks like he wanted. His 1‘50.792s best lap, set on lap 17/17, put him in 26th place.
The Spaniard found some pace in the afternoon, but the drying track conditions made the track slippery. The rookie had a small crash just after he climbed as high as ninth in the rankings with nine minutes left to go. The pace quickened at the end of the session. Unable to get in any further laps, he finished the day in 19th place with a best time of 1‘38.434s, set on lap 13/14.
Kubo planned to bounce back from a difficult Sachsenring weekend by showing he‘s fearless in the wet at the TT Circuit Assen. He moved up to 17th place in the early stages of the rain-soaked FP1 session. However, he was unable to respond as the pace got quicker in the later stages. His 1‘51.274s best time set on lap 17/18, left him in 27th position.
The Thai rider used the available drying track time of FP2 to study the race lines at ’the Cathedral of Speed‘. He made a considerable time improvement, clocking a 1‘40.533s. It didn‘t move him up in the results though. He completed the day in 29th place.
Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team Commence Wet Assen Track Action
Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team Commence Wet Assen Track Action
The Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team had a challenging first day at the TT Circuit Assen. The free practice Friday started with a full wet FP1 and a drying FP2. Manuel Gonzalez and Keminth Kubo wrapped up the day in 19th and 29th place respectively.
Sports Director
"We started the weekend with a wet session. We had the chance to work with two different kinds of rear tyres: the rain tyre that we know and that we are used to, and also a new one that we liked more. During FP2, the track was not perfect, very slippery and with no grip. The conditions were like it was wet. Manu was riding alone, and his lap time was not bad. He was in ninth position when he had a small crash. He needs to work on the set-up of the bike, because it is not perfect yet. Kubo‘s day has not been positive. He needs to understand the track better and do some more work with his team."
Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team
"It‘s been a strange but positive day. In the morning in wet conditions, I was not very fast. I didn‘t expect it at such a fast track, but with the rain the grip was really good, and all riders were pushing a lot. FP2 was dry, and I had a small crash when I was pushing hard, but the feeling with the bike was good. Tomorrow will be a very important day."
Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team
"It‘s been the first day of school for me here at the Cathedral of Speed. I had to learn the track in FP1, but it was not easy because of the weather conditions. Things changed in FP2: the circuit was dry, but the asphalt conditions were not perfect. I tried to follow and learn from the faster riders, but I had some problems while entering the corners. We have a lot of work to do this weekend."
