BEST MOTO3 FINISH YET FOR HUSQVARNA LAGLISSE RIDER MARIA HERRERA

[totalmotorcycle]

BEST @MOTO3 FINISH YET FOR @HUSQVARNA LAGLISSE #RIDER MARIA HERRERA
ELEVENTH PLACE FOR SPANISH RIDER IN ROUND 16, PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA


Husqvarna Laglisse rider Maria Herrera of Spain on Sunday wrapped up a very positive weekend at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia at Round 16 of the MotoGP Moto3 World Championship. Herrera launched her race weekend with a best ever qualifying position at eleventh place and went on to finish in the same position after what developed into a turbulent and dramatic race.

Maria Herrera: “I was going quite well and improved some positions but I could see that the riders in the front group were a little aggressive and were overtaking a lot, so I tried to stay calm during the opening laps. I was very comfortable with the bike. We made some changes for the warm-up and I think we were right because I was able to pass some riders. I’m very happy about this great race because we were competitive against very strong riders.”

For the Spanish rider it was her season’s best performance and on a track where she has never raced before. Her young Italian teammate, Lorenzo Dalla Porta, like Herrera also making his debut at the sweeping Australian GP circuit, also had a strong first half to the 23-lap race before being involved in a multi rider crash.

At the half way mark both riders on the FR 250 GP machine were still in contention with Herrera in ninth position and Dalla Porta in eleventh. Three laps later Dalla Porta’s hopes of a good finish ended in the gravel, while Herrera powered on to complete the race. Dalla Porta, who only moved up from the Spanish National Championship to join Herrera in the team in the summer break, was however in good company. Almost half the field of starters, some 16 riders in all, failed to complete the full race distance.

After being involved in the multi rider crash, Dalla Porta attempted to get back into the race but realized at the next corner that damage to his bike would not allow him to continue.

Lorenzo Dalla Porta: “The race was going well and I was able to make up some positions. We had a good race set-up and I felt comfortable in the group but when (Danny) Kent crashed I couldn’t do anything to avoid hitting his bike because it was right in front of me. I got back on the track but the bike was not able to continue and I had to retire. I am sorry for the team, and for me, because we had chances to do well here. Now we have to think about Malaysia, which is another new circuit for me, and there we hope to have a good result.”

Conditions for the race were near perfect but competition was very tight and with many riders taking advantage of the multiple slip streaming possibilities, the race was peppered with incidents.

Teams now move north to the Sepang circuit in Malaysia for the last of the three overseas races, and the penultimate round of the championship. They then return to Europe for the final round in Valencia, Spain, which will give Herrera an opportunity to shine in front of the enthusiastic Spanish fans.


CAPTIONS:
1. Season's best finish for #6 Maria Herrera
2. Husqvarna Laglisse rookie Lorenzo Dalla Porta #48 in action at Phillip Island
3. Herrera fighting for a good position in the Moto3 GP of Australia