Aleix Espargaró will start from the third row tomorrow (ninth best time) in the San Marino and Rimini Riviera GP. The good result consolidates the progress the Italian bike has made, often in the top-ten during this second half of the racing season.

Aleix took the first step toward this nice result in the third free practice session this morning. His seventh best time (at 1'33.626) in the session placed him in the top-ten of the combined standings that consider the times from Friday and therefore sent him through directly to Q2, the session that determines who will start from which spot on the first four rows. Once there, Aleix improved further, lapping at 1’33.149, a time that earned him a place on the third row of the starting grid.

Sam Lowes, slowed by a crash at the beginning of Q1, was unable to find an optimum feeling with the second bike and finished with the 23rd best time (1'35.659) which places him on the eighth row for the race tomorrow.

ALEIX ESPARGARO'

“We took a step forward. I am not entirely happy because we could have started farther forward, but I am satisfied with our overall level. In qualifying I gave it my all, even taking a few risks, but I made a small mistake on turn 11 that cost me at least a couple of tenths. It will be a fun race. We are all very close. I have a good race pace. The minimum goal within our potential is the top 8, which would be excellent compensation for our hard work.”

SAM LOWES

“Up to now, the weekend has not been one of the best. Fortunately the crashes were all fairly irrelevant. Unfortunately, the one in qualifying kept me from starting farther forward, but if I look at FP4, the session that best reflects our situation in race setup, we can think positively. Looking at the weather, anything could happen tomorrow. If it rains, I'll take advantage of my good feeling with the RS-GP in the wet, but even on a dry track I think I'll be able to have my say for a points finish.”