#35 Somkiat Chantra – 22nd (1’29.112) – Practice
“This morning, we used the medium rear tyre with a different setup, and the feeling wasn’t too bad. In the afternoon, we switched to the soft tyre and another setup for the time attack, but I didn’t feel comfortable. The team is now analyzing the data so we can push harder tomorrow and improve.”
#5 Johann Zarco – 15th (1’27.376) – Practice
“I’m quite disappointed to miss out on Q2, I really thought I could be in the top 10. I felt pretty good this morning; we still need to work on the bike to find more stability and improve the pace, but the performance was fairly strong. Unfortunately, there was no progress in the afternoon, which is a bit frustrating. Going through Q1 tomorrow will be tough, but I’ll give it my best. I hope to have a strong qualifying and make it into Q2. We’ll see.”
#35 Somkiat Chantra – 18th – Sprint
“At the beginning of the Sprint, it was difficult to stay with the group. I felt some spinning on the bike and couldn’t push the way I wanted. Eventually, I lost contact with the group, but after that, I focused on keeping my pace and following the riders ahead. In the end, the lap time and the gap weren’t too bad. We’ll be ready for tomorrow after analyzing all the data.”
#5 Johann Zarco – 12th – Sprint
“It was an interesting Sprint. I was happy to be fast at the beginning. I had a good pace, was able to attack, and gained some positions. After that, the pace should have improved, but I was missing a few tenths to be really strong. I’m optimistic, with a few adjustments, I think I can enjoy the race more than I did today. The wind will be a question mark, so we’ll see how it goes and try to do the best job possible.”
#35 Somkiat Chantra – 17th – Race
“Today was harder than yesterday, mainly because of the strong wind. I couldn’t push on the straight because of it, and I had to fight to keep the bike under control, it was tough to manage in those conditions. I just focused on doing my race and making it to the finish. We’ll reset and try again in Malaysia.”
#5 Johann Zarco – DNF – Race
“It’s a pity about the crash, but I’m fine. The first corner is never a good place to crash, but I missed the apex a bit, and from there, being a little wide with the wind, the bike started to slide. In the end, I couldn’t save it and ended up on the gravel. It’s a pity because a top 10 finish was realistic, and we were aiming for that. Malaysia will be a moment to reset and try to change the current situation.”
