Dry weather yesterday with track temperatures of 23°C this morning, rising to 39°C in the afternoon.
There wasn’t much grip in the morning due to the green track surface, but on the new asphalt (from turns 2 to 10 and from 12 to 15) the feeling was better. The riders felt the bumps less compared to previous seasons, but there are still some.
In the morning virtually everyone ran Soft front and Medium rear. The Soft front worked well given the rather low track temperatures. Then towards the end of the session the tendency was for it to move around more. The Medium Rear was very consistent, and it was very good for working out the first bike settings. It offered very good traction and stability. However, possibly due to the cool temperatures it seemed to lack grip at maximum lean angles.
One rider tested the Medium front and Hard rear, but in the conditions the front didn’t work too well, with little grip. After two laps to warm-up the Hard rear worked well providing good stability and consistent lap time
In FP2 with the warmer temperatures and the wind, the riders used Hard/Medium and/or Hard/Soft combinations.
Very good feedback for the Hard front, with very good levels of support, stability and feel, although turn-in was not perfect. The Medium rear was good because of its consistency. The Soft rear was looked by most riders due to the extra grip it offered.
Overall, fast lap times for the first day with tyre temperatures and wear under control.