Circuit: Phillip Island
Circuit Length: 4.4 km
Circuit Length: 4.4 km
Bike #84 – Jakub Kornfeil
QP: P25; 1’40.110 – 17 laps
QP: P25; 1’40.110 – 17 laps
Bike #7 – Adam Norrodin
QP: P23; 1’39.828 – 18 laps
QP: P23; 1’39.828 – 18 laps
Saturday’s Australian Moto3 qualifying saw an action packed forty minutes, as intermittent rain showers wreaked havoc amongst the field.
Up against the clock with constantly changing conditions, teams and riders tirelessly pushed to find the optimum set-up to improve their lap times.
Up against the clock with constantly changing conditions, teams and riders tirelessly pushed to find the optimum set-up to improve their lap times.
Caught up in the mayhem, the DRIVE M7 SIC Racing Team riders worked hard to find a rhythm on track but falling victim to the tricky conditions, struggled to match the pace of the leaders as the chequered flag came out.
18-year-old rookie Adam Norrodin will line up for the first time at Phillip Island on row eight after qualifying in 23rd place. Teammate Jakub Kornfeil will start tomorrow’s twenty three lap race just behind on row nine, in 25th place.
Johan Stigefelt – Team Manager
“The conditions here have been very tricky all weekend and today’s qualifying was no exception.
It started raining very heavily just as the session began and then dried up quickly; this was actually the first time in the dry for everyone. This was especially difficult for Adam after only ever riding in the wet here. However he did a really good job! He pushed hard like we told him too, believed in himself and we could see that he was following the right people. He was doing well and then the red flag came out with four minutes to go. We knew we would only get two more flying laps when the session resumed but again Adam used this time very well. He stayed in the group and did exactly what we had asked but unfortunately on his last lap, he got pushed out by another rider and lost a lot of time there. It could have potentially been a top ten position if we look at his times. Adam proved today that he can take advice on board well and learn quickly. For sure starting from 23rd position is not the easiest way but regardless, I know he will give it his best.
It’s quite a disappointing qualifying for Jakub because he had the same conditions as Adam but he didn’t use the laps like he should have. He knew everybody would improve, so he really needs to listen more to what we ask him to do and he needs to follow, which not doing so, was a costly mistake made by Jakub today. He went out with slower riders and they made some mistakes, so of course he got tangled up in it and now he starts very far back for the race. It’s frustrating because we know he had the pace because we saw before the red flag that he was in P12 and becoming faster and faster, especially in sectors two and three.
Anyway let’s see tomorrow; Jakub can be good in both the wet and dry, so we’re not going to give up trying to take a lot of points here tomorrow.
“The conditions here have been very tricky all weekend and today’s qualifying was no exception.
It started raining very heavily just as the session began and then dried up quickly; this was actually the first time in the dry for everyone. This was especially difficult for Adam after only ever riding in the wet here. However he did a really good job! He pushed hard like we told him too, believed in himself and we could see that he was following the right people. He was doing well and then the red flag came out with four minutes to go. We knew we would only get two more flying laps when the session resumed but again Adam used this time very well. He stayed in the group and did exactly what we had asked but unfortunately on his last lap, he got pushed out by another rider and lost a lot of time there. It could have potentially been a top ten position if we look at his times. Adam proved today that he can take advice on board well and learn quickly. For sure starting from 23rd position is not the easiest way but regardless, I know he will give it his best.
It’s quite a disappointing qualifying for Jakub because he had the same conditions as Adam but he didn’t use the laps like he should have. He knew everybody would improve, so he really needs to listen more to what we ask him to do and he needs to follow, which not doing so, was a costly mistake made by Jakub today. He went out with slower riders and they made some mistakes, so of course he got tangled up in it and now he starts very far back for the race. It’s frustrating because we know he had the pace because we saw before the red flag that he was in P12 and becoming faster and faster, especially in sectors two and three.
Anyway let’s see tomorrow; Jakub can be good in both the wet and dry, so we’re not going to give up trying to take a lot of points here tomorrow.
#84 Jakub Kornfeil
“It was a strange qualifying today. It was dry when we went out but then as soon as we got to the first corner it started raining heavily. We went back to the box to change to our wet setting, went back out on track and very quickly it stopped raining and started to dry up; it was unbelievable! We lost so much time changing our set up to suit the conditions. With twenty five minutes to go the target was to get as many laps in as possible, build the rhythm and step by step improve the speed. I progressed from 1m44s times to 1m39s but unfortunately this lap was not recorded as it was when the red flag came out, nevertheless I was in 12th place. We had time for only two more laps when the session restarted but I couldn’t improve. I found myself at the front of the group and on my first flying lap I made a mistake in the hairpin. This left me with one more lap to make a good qualifying time but in this lap I struggled to find a clear run and the other riders disturbed me on the track; by the first sector I was already one second slower. I knew at this point it was over; all the other riders improved except me. I’m angry with myself and for my team because I know I could have gone faster. Tomorrow I have to make amends for this!”
“It was a strange qualifying today. It was dry when we went out but then as soon as we got to the first corner it started raining heavily. We went back to the box to change to our wet setting, went back out on track and very quickly it stopped raining and started to dry up; it was unbelievable! We lost so much time changing our set up to suit the conditions. With twenty five minutes to go the target was to get as many laps in as possible, build the rhythm and step by step improve the speed. I progressed from 1m44s times to 1m39s but unfortunately this lap was not recorded as it was when the red flag came out, nevertheless I was in 12th place. We had time for only two more laps when the session restarted but I couldn’t improve. I found myself at the front of the group and on my first flying lap I made a mistake in the hairpin. This left me with one more lap to make a good qualifying time but in this lap I struggled to find a clear run and the other riders disturbed me on the track; by the first sector I was already one second slower. I knew at this point it was over; all the other riders improved except me. I’m angry with myself and for my team because I know I could have gone faster. Tomorrow I have to make amends for this!”
#7 Adam Norrodin
“We made a good start in qualifying today, despite the difficult weather conditions. It was the first time that I have rode here in the dry; I didn’t find it easy but I really tried to get used to it quickly and sure enough it got better and better. I was in the top fifteen for the majority of the session, which I was quite happy about. After the red flag I thought that I would be able to improve a lot more in the final four minutes. I got into a very big group but it was quite messy. I tried to fight to make a good time but in the end I had a moment with another rider and this ruined the lap. The good thing is we know we can do it and I’m feeling quite confident at this track. I’m ready to fight for it tomorrow.”
“We made a good start in qualifying today, despite the difficult weather conditions. It was the first time that I have rode here in the dry; I didn’t find it easy but I really tried to get used to it quickly and sure enough it got better and better. I was in the top fifteen for the majority of the session, which I was quite happy about. After the red flag I thought that I would be able to improve a lot more in the final four minutes. I got into a very big group but it was quite messy. I tried to fight to make a good time but in the end I had a moment with another rider and this ruined the lap. The good thing is we know we can do it and I’m feeling quite confident at this track. I’m ready to fight for it tomorrow.”
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