ALEIX ESPARGARÓ EARNS A VIRTUAL SPOT IN Q2, SCOTT REDDING CLOSE TO THE TOP TEN
The uncertain weather forecast for tomorrow forced the MotoGP riders to push hard straight away, looking for a top 10 time that (in the event of rain on Saturday) will guarantee direct access to the second qualifying session.
Aleix Espargaró succeeded in the undertaking, very satisfied with the performance of his 2018 RS-GP on a historically difficult track. The work done on the American circuit's asphalt did not solve the problem with dips, but the Spanish rider was able to find good speed anyway and, with a ninth place time in the combined results, clinched a virtual spot in Q2. In the event that improving the times is not possible tomorrow, this is an excellent starting place for Aleix's weekend.
Scott Redding struggled with his feeling on the bumps of the COTA, fifteenth in the combined standings. Not having fully capitalised on his soft tyre in the finale of FP2, Scott was unable to move up in the standings for a spot in the top 10, but in any case, he was only 3 tenths of a second off.