Marquez and Pedrosa up to speed while getting first taste of Buriram Circuit

“I’m very happy with how we started the test here in Buriram. I felt quite good from the beginning, so at first we just tried to get to know the track well. Then when we got the rhythm, we started trying some different things on the bike. We focused a little bit more on the electronic side. As the day progressed, many riders were at the front, so we need to wait until the final day before we’ll be able to really understand what the rhythm of each rider is. I think everyone will improve a lot tomorrow. Regarding the track layout, it seemed quite fast to me when I lapped it on a scooter yesterday, but today riding my bike, I realized it was slower that I was expecting, with many second- or third-gear corners. Still, there are some hard acceleration and braking points, and it will probably be challenging to manage tyre life, so we’ll work on that as well. So far we’re very happy with how it went today.”

“I think today went well, even considering that the first time at a new track is always demanding because you need to learn a lot. The circuit is quite narrow, so it’s important to use the right lines and carry speed. We’re working to find the best balance in order to be quick in both the fast sectors and the more twisty ones. We lost the direction a bit in the middle of the day, and I also had a small crash when I touched the bumps in the final corner, but that can happen when you’re still trying to understand a new track. As the day went on we got back in the right path, and in the end we did a good job. So the feeling is positive, and now we’ll analyse everything and prepare for tomorrow, when we’ll work with the tyres and continue working to find the best setting.”