The Forward Racing team experienced another complicated weekend in Austin. Its two drivers have always been outside the top 15, except in races where the first points of the season could have been scored, but the opportunity could not be realized. However, the team continues to see the positive and to note the progress of Stefano Manzi and Eric Granado as well as the technical team which is discovering the Suter this year.
With a twenty-third place as best result in FP1, Stefano manzi struggled during the weekend in Austin. And it got worse in qualifying as he finished in twenty-eighth position. The race therefore looked quite compromised, but the Italian driver made a splendid comeback to thirteenth place.
This result would allow him to score the first points of the season for the Forward Racing team, unfortunately he crashed, taking this hope with him: “In the first corner I stayed calm, bearing in mind last year's mistakes, and this time again there was a lot of contact. From there I began my ascent. I felt good on the bike and had a good pace. I was fighting in a big group that was moving up to third place, but unfortunately I came back to neutral, and when I got back into gear I was too slow. I lost the front and couldn't catch up. It's a real shame because I made a good comeback, but I remain very motivated. »
Positive despite this blank result and his difficult start to the season, Manzi is starting to see the end of the tunnel: “This Grand Premier could certainly have ended differently, but the work we are doing is the right one. »
For his part, his teammate Eric Granado continues to learn, after four years away from the World Cup. Also the author of a complicated start to the season, he could not do better than twenty-first in FP2. Qualified twenty-fourth, he made an error at the start of the race which penalized him and prevented him from being able to move up.
The Brazilian driver finally finished in twenty-second position: “I'm very happy to have finally ridden three consecutive days in the dry. I learned a lot from this race. I had a good start, I even gained three places, but I asked a little too much of my bike and went straight, which made me lose five places. Then I found my rhythm and got back to the group before me. I'm clearly not satisfied with my final result but I want to be positive and continue to progress. »
Just as motivated as his box companion, Granado wants to arrive better prepared for the next Grand Prix, in Jerez: “I still have to work a lot on my part, on my concentration and my physical form, because I paid dearly for fatigue at the end of the race. I can't wait to get out on track in Jerez and give my best again. »
