Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) had a positive Day 1 on the Riviera di Rimini, although FP2 was punctuated by a crash for the reigning Champion as the team used the second session to try out a few different things. Unhurt and back out, Marquez says there's work to do tomorrow to try the hard rear tyre, but that it was a good day - and that he immediately felt good from FP1.
Marc Marquez, P5: "The day has been quite good. I felt good with the bike and this afternoon we tried many things because this morning I immediately felt really good, so we chose this afternoon to try understand some other things but it wasn’t working well and I crashed! I feel comfortable at the circuit and we are working very good. Tomorrow we need to try the tyres because this afternoon I did more laps with the softer rear, so tomorrow maybe it’s time to try the hard compound like the others and compare well."
At the end of FP2, there was also a moment during a practice start for the rider from Cervera, as Team Suzuki Ecstar's Andrea Iannone nudged him slightly on the getaway...
MM93: "I don’t understand the moment with Iannone. In the end, I was trying to practice my start and I felt something from the rear; the first time I believed it was maybe my clutch because I was trying to practice the start, but it’s OK. Maybe he’s bored or something whilst riding and trying to play at something else..."