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CONFIDENT FOR RACE DAY IN JAPAN

Dominique Aegerter could not capitalize improving conditions towards the end of Saturday’s qualifying when the track dried out.

After pouring rain on the previous day, the weather improved already during this morning’s FP3 so this means that until the start of the timed session, which decided the starting grid, the rain stopped completely. However because of the low temperatures this weekend in Japan, it took a while for more than a dry line around the impressive 4.8 kilometres Twin Ring Motegi.

In contrast to Friday, Dominique Aegerter endured a difficult start into day two of practice despite some slightly drizzle this morning. But during qualifying, the Swiss was one of the first riders who took the steady drying track with slick tyres. At this point, Aegerter set the pace but during the decisive and final stages, he was struggling sometime with the difficult to assess conditions.

Starting time for the Grand Prix of Japan is set as usual for Sunday 12:20 pm local time. But attention: due to the time difference of seven hours it requires an early wake-up call.

#77 Dominique AEGERTER (Kiefer Racing, Suter MMX2), Grid position 11th – 1´55.237 (18/18):

"This morning the track was less wet than yesterday so this was why we had a little bit more trouble than under heavy rain during FP1 and FP2. That means, if the conditions for the race should be like this morning then we have some work ahead of us. In the afternoon, however, it took a while to get into a fast rhythm and decent pace. First, we started the session with wet tyres but with this package I had not a good feeling on a track which was almost dry. Therefore, we have not shaken for a long time and changed quickly to a dry setup."

"With slick tyres, things went quite ok but in the end, I simply could not improve in the same extent as our competitors. At some places, the tarmac is very dark so it was hard to see whether it was still wet or dry. Therefore, I did not risk to much in these two corners. Apart from that, the outcome of this qualifying is a bit disappointing anyway because I was at the limits at any time and then we ended up just in eleventh. On Sunday, it will be very likely that we will race in the wet again. So, if then the track’s conditions are similar to Friday then we should be already well prepared. But as said, if it is half wet and half dry then we still have to work on the bike as well as for myself I have to improve for this."

Moto2™ GP of Japan - Qualifying Classification:
1 Takaaki NAKAGAMI / JPN / IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia / KALEX / 1´53.776
2 Alex MARQUEZ / SPA / Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS / KALEX / 1´53.904 +0.128
3 Xavi VIERGE / SPA / Tech 3 Racing / Tech 3 / 1´54.056 +0.270
11 #77 Dominique AEGERTER / SWI / Kiefer Racing / Suter MMX2 / 1´55.237 +1.461