Doha: QMMF Racing Team riders Julian Simon and Xavier Simeon made significant improvements with the set-up of their bikes on the second day of practice for the Grand Prix of the Americas.
Simon went faster than last year on the Circuit of the Americas, a breakthrough that awarded him 11th place on the starting grid. Simeon was a little further behind in 18th position, but the result didn’t reflect his technical progress, as he developed a good feeling for his Speed Up prototype only on his last run of the day. This was enough to boost his confidence for the race, in which both riders aim to claw their way back into the top ten positions.
“We managed to improve over the weekend, with a set-up of the bike like it was in 2015. We understood yesterday that we had to improve certain aspects, but we were careful, only making minor changes at one time in order to find back to speed. In the end I managed to do a faster lap than I did last year, which is positive,” Simon said.
“I will try to get a got start so I can be there in the first laps and fight with the others, in order to put up a good show and hopefully get a good result. I want to have fun riding tomorrow and put the tough first two races of the season out of my mind. Thanks to the team that did a great job,” he added.
“My position on the starting grid is disappointing, but it still has been a positive day for us. In the last exit, I felt a big improvement and I felt very good on the bike. I would have liked this bike all the weekend and it would be fun to go back in time, try again, improve my lap time and be more in front,” Simeon said.
“We will start with that new base tomorrow and I’ll try to be very consistent in the warm-up, if there are try conditions. In the race, I will try to recover and fight for the top ten. It’s the first time I felt such an improvement since I ride this bike. It’s pity that we didn’t come to this solution earlier in the weekend and earlier in the season, but I look forward to the future and to the race in which I will to try to get the best possible result,” he added.The Peninsula
