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DIFFICULT START FOR BAUTISTA AND REDDING AT PHILLIP ISLAND - Malcolm - 17-10-2014 Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini riders Alvaro Bautista and Scott Redding experienced a difficult start to preparations for Sunday’s Australian MotoGP round today at Phillip Island. In pretty warm and sunny conditions, the Spaniard and the Briton found both free practice sessions a tough challenge while they worked hard to find confidence with their bikes. Already struggling with rear grip in recent races, Alvaro Bautista struggled even more today to make the tyres available this weekend - featuring a harder compound - work. Therefore the Spaniard closed the combined classification of the two sessions back in 15th position, with a time of 1’31”137, obtained in the afternoon. His teammate Scott Redding completed the first day two positions behind him in 17th place with a time of 1’31”174, set in the morning session. The British rookie failed to improve in the afternoon, also due to lack off traction and front end confidence in the fast corners. ALVARO BAUTISTA (15th - 1'31"137) “We already had rear grip issues in other tracks, and we knew that here, with an even harder compound, the situation would be even worst. I really don’t feel the rear tyre so I can’t open the throttle and I can’t be quick on corner entry. This is frustrating, because it means that I can’t ride. Today was difficult to do it without crashing”. SCOTT REDDING (17th - 1'31"174) “Today it was quite difficult, we felt like we already reached the limit with the bike, and it was really strange because it was hard to do faster lap times. Also, we had again some problems with traction, and a lack of front feeling in the fast corners. We are working to find a good setting for tomorrow: if we will have a little bit more consistency through the four sectors of the track, we can be closer to the other Open Class Honda guys. Today, instead, we were inconsistent and in addition there were many yellow flags out there when I was riding, and this was a little bit confusing. Anyway we have to focus on tomorrow to find the right set-up”. Combined Free Practice Classification 1Jorge LorenzoMovistar Yamaha MotoGP1'29.602 2Aleix EspargaroNGM Forward Racing1'29.749 3Marc MarquezRepsol Honda Team1'29.752 4Andrea IannonePramac Racing1'29.803 5Andrea DoviziosoDucati Team1'29.945 6Valentino RossiMovistar Yamaha MotoGP1'29.954 7Cal CrutchlowDucati Team1'30.076 8Pol EspargaroMonster Yamaha Tech 31'30.103 9Yonny HernandezPramac Racing1'30.281 10Dani PedrosaRepsol Honda Team1'30.289 11Bradley SmithMonster Yamaha Tech 31'30.313 12Stefan BradlLCR Honda MotoGP1'30.678 13Nicky HaydenDrive M7 Aspar1'31.034 14Alex De AngelisNGM Forward Racing1'31.108 15Alvaro BautistaGO&FUN Honda Gresini1'31.137 16Hector BarberaAvintia Blusens1'31.143 17Scott ReddingGO&FUN Honda Gresini1'31.174 18Karel AbrahamCardion AB Motoracing1'31.219 19Hiroshi AoyamaDrive M7 Aspar1'31.264 20Danilo PetrucciIodaRacing Project1'31.723 21Mike Di MeglioAvintia Blusens1'31.191 22Broc ParkesPaul Bird Motorsport1'32.506 23Michael LavertyPaul Bird Motorsport1'32.843 .