Celestino Vietti went through all the emotions during this Saturday of the Catalan Moto2 Grand Prix. Returning from injury, the Italian made it out of Q1, before securing a superb first row on the starting grid thanks to an excellent performance in Q2.
The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 duo ended their second and final practice session on a poor note, as Celestino Vietti and Deniz Öncü were unable to complete their final attempt with a time sufficient to secure a place in the top-14. Vietti finished 23rd with a time of 1:43.005, while Öncü was 17th in 1:42.878.
The team was, however, able to count on a vengeful Vietti, but above all transformed in Qualifications. After securing his place in Q2, he continued his momentum and directly locked a place in the top-3. Place that he will keep at the end of the session to sign a surprising front row in Catalonia.
A result all the more satisfactory for the main person concerned as he is competing in his first race after a collarbone operation which took him away from the circuits.
On the evening of this Saturday full of emotions, No. 13 is jubilant, but he still has to confirm tomorrow during the race. He also knows that to make the most of his advantage, he will have to pay attention to the degradation of his tires.
“I'm really happy with the position and the pace we had, as well as the speed we had compared to the other riders, comments Vietti. We are working really hard to try to close the gap to the favorites, and gradually we are getting there.
We are certainly not the strongest, but I think that tomorrow, as we have a better starting position than in other races, we may be able to manage the race better, he hopes. Hopefully this will lead to me having more in the tires for the end of the race and being able to try and fight for the win. »
On the other side of the garage, Oncu does not hide his disappointment at not having managed to get out of Q1, and expects a difficult race in the middle of the pack.
“The second day is over and I'm a little frustrated and angry with myself and my performance in qualifying, because I couldn't put in a good lap, he regrets. Tomorrow I will push to try to gain as many places as possible at the start. My goal is to progress as much as possible in the hierarchy, and try to get some points. I'm not satisfied with my work today in qualifying, but I will do my best tomorrow. »
Celestino Vietti, Moto2, Catalunya MotoGP, May 23, 2024
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Celestino Vietti, Moto2, Catalunya MotoGP, May 24, 2024
