The Aprilia rider surprised himself today and finished just three tenths behind his teammate and the top 10. Even if he knows that there is little chance of such a result happening again tomorrow, he is very satisfied with his first day.
We know it, Scott Redding is having a very difficult 2018 season. After thinking for a long time about not even having an opportunity for next year, he finally got a contract in the Official Ducati team in British Superbike. He can therefore end his season with a lighter mind.
Known for his amusing off-piste escapades, he outdid himself in Japan by getting a haircut that is definitely worth the detour and which the whole paddock talked about. The British driver is like that, frank, true and complete, so he does not hesitate to say things frankly when he is happy. And at the end of this first day, it can be!
In the dry in FP1, he took twelfth position, just three tenths from the top 10 and his teammate, Aleix Espargaró. Despite the mixed track conditions this afternoon, he came out for the final laps of FP2 and finished second, just behind Dani Pedrosa.
Even if it is only the first day and he is aware that he will go down in the rankings tomorrow, he was able to take advantage of his good results: “I was surprised by my performance this morning. I immediately had a good feeling, even if I made a lot of mistakes which cost me a few tenths per lap. Since Aragon, I really feel more confident with the RS-GP. I know it will be difficult to repeat my results tomorrow, in the dry, but we will continue to work towards the race. In FP2 I didn't want to waste rain tires so I waited for the track to dry, and I can tell that I really had fun riding in these conditions. »
Japanese Grand Prix, Motegi, MotoGP J.1: Chronos.
1 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati 1'45.358
2 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda 1'45.463 0.105 0.105
3 5 Johann ZARCO Yamaha 1'45.483 0.125 0.020
4 93 Marc MARQUEZ Honda 1'45.498 0.140 0.015
5 25 Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha 1'45.640 0.282 0.142
6 29 Andrea IANNONE Suzuki 1'46.030 0.672 0.390
7 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA Ducati 1'46.210 0.852 0.180
8 43 Jack MILLER Ducati 1'46.265 0.907 0.055
9 46 Valentino ROSSI Yamaha 1'46.329 0.971 0.064
10 41 Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia 1'46.526 1.168 0.197
11 26 Dani PEDROSA Honda 1'46.568 1.210 0.042
12 45 Scott REDDING Aprilia 1'46.854 1.496 0.286
13 30 Takaaki NAKAGAMI Honda 1'46.856 1.498 0.002
14 44 Pol ESPARGARO KTM 1'46.859 1.501 0.003
15 89 Katsuyuki NAKASUGA Yamaha 1'46.872 1.514 0.013
16 10 Xavier SIMEON Ducati 1'46.998 1.640 0.126
17 9 Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati 1'47.054 1.696 0.056
18 38 Bradley SMITH KTM 1'47.137 1.779 0.083
19 42 Alex RINS Suzuki 1'47.187 1.829 0.050
20 21 Franco MORBIDELLI Honda 1'47.428 2.070 0.241
21 50 Sylvain GUINTOLI Suzuki 1'47.537 2.179 0.109
22 81 Jordi TORRES Ducati 1'47.665 2.307 0.128
23 17 Karel ABRAHAM Ducati 1'47.716 2.358 0.051
24 55 Hafizh SYAHRIN Yamaha 1'47.726 2.368 0.010
25 12 Thomas LUTHI Honda 1'47.833 2.475 0.107
99 Jorge LORENZO Ducati
