Positive morning, the afternoon left a bitter taste in the mouth. Unfortunately, the fight for the victory vanished in turn seven, with a long line on entry. Team Go Eleven and Andrea Iannone, up to that point, were in the game for a good place, almost certainly in the podium positions. However, the extraordinary front row in qualifying is still there, one tenth from Pole, and the fastest lap in Race 1, too.
The morning starts in the best possible way, with #29 achieving the fastest time in FP 3, with a gap of 0.3 to his opponents. A few laps on the SCX to find the last details in view of the race, then an attempt at a time attack to test the qualifying. 1.28.729, the first rider to go below 29 on the Cremona track.
Free Practice 3:
P 1 A. Iannone 1.28.779
P 2 G. Gerloff + 0.291
P 3 I. Lecuona + 0.321
In Superpole Andrea Iannone proves confident with the SCQ, hitting a very fast time on his first attempt, 1.28.2, detaching second place by about five tenths. Second tyre, second time attack. Andrea improves two tenths, but Bulega manages to lower a few more hundredths, taking Pole in the fourth and final sector. It’s a pity, first place narrowly missed, but being back to the front row in the home race has a special taste.
P 1 N. Bulega 1.27.953
P 2 A. Iannone + 0.115
P 3 D. Petrucci + 0.332
Perfect Race 1 for Andrea Iannone and Team Go Eleven until lap eight, on turn seven. Until the crash, the rider from Vasto fought without ever going out the top three positions; first a breathtaking overtaking on Bulega in the change of direction, then a few laps in management with Danilo Petrucci. The two were copening a slight gap from third/fourth place, just when Andrea lost the front, entering slightly wide. A podium at home would have been unique, but there is the awareness of having a great opportunity in our hands. Two races tomorrow, starting from the front row.
Race 1:
P 1 D. Petrucci 26’49.788
P 2 N. Bulega + 2.590
P 3 A. Bautista + 6.383
Andrea Iannone (Rider): “Today we were racing among the top riders and that’s an important aspect, the pace was there. It’s a shame about the crash in Race 1, I was a little wide at that point. At the moment I have a little pain in my collarbone, I hope it doesn’t cause me problems tomorrow. We still have to work but there’s room for improvement, we’ll try again in the Sunday events.”
