The DRIVE M7 SIC Racing Team riders conclude day one of the Dutch Grand Prix positive that they can find the answers to improve their pace ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying.
Making a steady and encouraging start, Zulfahmi Khairuddin continued to improve his time throughout the first forty minute session, whilst showing consistently strong form in sectors one and two.
Heading into Free Practice Two the Malaysian rider further progressed, but struggling with his feeling into the fast corners concluded the day in twenty eighth place.
Feeling happy with the set-up of his #84 KTM machine, Jakub Kornfeil was confident that he could push more and improve his position for the last of the days practice sessions. As the wind picked up around the legendary TT Circuit Assen, the Czech rider worked hard to improve his time, but lapping alone was unable to take advantage of a slipstream to significantly better his pace.
Bike #63 – Zulfahmi Khairuddin
FP1: P24; 1’44.909 (DRY) – 17 laps
FP2: P28; 1’44.186 (DRY) –18 laps
“In the second practice session we improved our lap time but still not enough. We need some more weight in the front of the bike because in the fast corners I am still struggling a little bit to keep my speed going into the corner. Now we need to study more of the details and work on how we can improve this for tomorrow. I think we can go at least one second quicker; this is the target for FP3 and this is what I’m going to push for.”
Bike #84 – Jakub Kornfeil
FP1: P16; 1’43.998 (DRY) – 18 laps
FP2: P24; 1’43.690 (DRY) – 17 laps
“The first practice was quite good, I was happy with the bike and everything was going well. There was not so much wind in FP1 either which was better, it was only that I was not pushing so much because I didn’t feel so much grip. My goal was to push a lot more in the afternoon but although I did a better time, it was very difficult to be in the same position. I finished 24th and of course I am not happy about this. I did everything alone and with so much more wind this afternoon, you really need someone in front of you to have the slipstream. This I missed today, which I believe was the main problem. If I was only three tenths faster I’d have been around the top sixteen. Today is not a disaster; we did this time on our own and without a perfect tyre, but still I was able to improve, so I have to be happy for this, but not the position. We need to find a little bit more for tomorrow. We have to work hard and push more for Friday’s sessions. The target is top fifteen because if you are in the top fifteen, everything is possible.”
