John sets to work at Phillip Island as Australian GP weekend gets underway

The first day on the Phillip Island Circuit started in rather difficult conditions. In fact, a wet track and a rather strong wind welcomed the small Moto3 bikes. Even the temperature of the asphalt did not encourage the drivers to push immediately. But the main problem in this first day was represented by the copious rains of the previous two days, which washed the track, removing the rubber coating and making it in fact much slower.

John had a high-side in Turn 11 with fifteen minutes to go of FP1, after which he was quite sore in the shoulder and elbow. He finished the session in 22nd.

Before the start of free practice 2 a very light rain fell, which fortunately did not continue throughout the round. The track remained wet only in the first minutes and John preferred to wait in the pits for the track to dry. He entered at fifteen minutes from the end, and began to score quite fast times. Lap after lap, he improved their performance and completed seven laps, finishing the day in 11th spot and getting a time of 1’38.760.

JOHN MCPHEE :
“The conditions today were a little bit tricky, especially in FP1. In fact there was mainly a dry track but mainly four or five points where the water crossed the track. So it made it difficult and, unfortunately I got call out in the FP1 session with a high side. I hurt a little bit my shoulder and elbow, so in FP2, at the beginning of the session, we decided to stay in the box. We went out in the end, and I managed to find a bit of a rhythm, which is nice to have in day one. We are 11th, not so far off the front, but definitely some work to do. I am not feeling overly comfortable at the moment on the bike, but I know this track well. And I have been very very strong here in the past, so I am sure that if we come a little bit closer with the overall setting, I can be very fast.”