Four Aprilias straight into Q2 at Phillip Island

MARCO BEZZECCHI FIRST, JORGE MARTÍN FIFTH. FERNÁNDEZ SECOND AND OGURA FOURTH FOR SUPERFILE TRACKHOUSE MOTOGP TEAM

Aprilia Racing ended the opening day of practice at Phillip Island with four RS-GP26s in the top five.

Marco Bezzecchi finished FP1 in fourth place. Then, despite a crash at Turn 4 in the opening minutes of practice without consequences, he ended the session on top, securing direct entry to Q2. 

Jorge Martín improved steadily throughout the day, finishing seventh at the end of FP1 and fifth in practice, a result that guarantees him a place directly in Q2.

The SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team riders also deserve a mention at the end of practice, with Raúl Fernández second and Ai Ogura fourth, a result that allows Aprilia to put four RS-GP26s straight into Q2. Ogura also set a new top-speed record at the Australian circuit, reaching 360 km/h.

“It was a good day. I felt good both this morning and this afternoon. I’m happy, even though riding in this wind wasn’t easy. The feeling is good, although obviously it’s only Friday and there’s still a lot of work to do, especially to get a better understanding of how the tyres are behaving.” – Marco Bezzecchi

“It was a positive day. I didn’t race here last year, so this morning I was pushing the front tyre hard, but I gradually started to adapt and felt more comfortable in the afternoon. I’m still missing a bit of speed, but my pace is consistent, and towards the end of the day I was getting quicker and quicker.” – Jorge Martin

“The atmosphere in Australia is always special, and having four Aprilias in the top five in Friday’s Practice gives us even more motivation. We’re continuing to work with Marco and Jorge on every detail to give them a stable, fast bike. As always, the aim is to maximise results on Saturday and Sunday, aware that the weather conditions at Phillip Island could change over the weekend.” – Paolo Bonora

Words and images courtesy of Aprilia Racing Press