Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) had an impressive Day 1 at the Malaysian GP, second overall after P2 in a dry FP1 and then seventh and remaining in the top echelons in a wet FP2. Bautista says the result was important, with weather always a question mark at Sepang and dry sessions something to take advantage of.
“Today has been a typical day in Malaysia,” says the Spaniard. “Normally in the afternoon, it rains a lot. So this morning we tried to use FP1 well. At the beginning the track was half/half wet and dry, I tried to make laps to get a reference, and then at the end the conditions were better and better and I could push. I knew it was important to get a good laptime this morning because there was a good chance of rain in the afternoon and it happened.”
With the chance FP3 could also be wet, Bautista’s laptime to go second in FP1 and therefore overall means he could already have done the job to get through to Q2 – perfectly to plan. And the rider from Talavera de la Reina says he’s got a good feeling back on the bike, after struggling more to find that at Phillip Island.
“I felt really good on the bike again,” affirms Bautista. “Unlike in Australia, where I never had a good feeling. I felt much better here, like I did in winter testing. We also tried a new setting here, going back to the winter test setting to compare it. It’s difficult to say something clear with the changing conditions but I feel quite comfortable and I’m happy with the first day.”
FP3 gets Saturday underway, before qualifying from 14:10 (GMT +8) sees Bautista battle it out for position.