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After the illusion in Free Practice 1, the Honda HRC pair failed to maintain the same level of performance in pre-qualifying for the Argentine GP. That's why Joan Mir and Luca Marini will have to do it all over again on Saturday. Both said they were confident they could be in the game, but being able to start from an advanced position may not be that easy, given the fierce competition.
"The data confirmed that coming out of the last corner, for some reason, I had a drop in grip. But, otherwise, I kept a Q2 pace," the Spanish rider - who came in 9th in the morning, then 13th - stated. "I just couldn't put it all together. It was a shame, because I was convinced I could stay in the top ten without major problems."
"On the one hand, I'm relieved, because I wasn't completely convinced of the bike's potential on this track. But, instead, the sensations were good. We're closer than I thought, even if this track isn't particularly suited to me. Even with a worn tire, we were fast. We'll have to make the right moves, now, so that we'll be in the fight. In my opinion, we can repeat the performance in Buriram, also as a result," he said optimistically.
Even his garage mate, who came in 6th in the morning, then 15th, is convinced their holding the cards to be able to have their say.
"We started out well in free practice one. But, as is always the case in practice, everyone is able to make big strides in terms of lap times, while we struggle and, even here, we couldn't improve. We suffered with rear grip, which was practically nothing. We have some ideas for qualifying. Of course, it's going to be a complicated Q1, but I'll do everything I can to get through to the next stage. The heat isn't helping us," the Italian rider said.
"We'll try to review the balance and electronics to find the best compromise based on the data collected. I think the Q2 is possible, but there's Morbidelli, and the Ducati is notoriously difficult to beat, without forgetting Joan and Miller who, as usual, are fast in the time attack. We're going to have to fight, though. With the proper adjustments, I think we'll have a chance," he concluded.
