M2: Portuguese GP: Marc VDS qualifying report

MARC VDS LOSE OUT AS QUALIFYING CANCELLED AT ESTORIL

Hector Faubel and Scott Redding will start tomorrow's Moto2 race from the sixth and seventh row of the grid respectively, after qualifying was cancelled due to heavy rain at Estoril this afternoon.

The showers that plagued this morning's final free practice sessions turned into torrential rain ahead of qualifying, flooding parts of the Estoril circuit and causing the opening session for the 125cc class to be delayed. Race direction eventually cancelled qualifying for all classes on safety grounds, once it became apparent that conditions weren't going to improve this afternoon.

Grid positions for tomorrow's 26-lap Moto2 race were therefore decided on combined practice times, which left Faubel and Redding down in 24th and 25th place respectively, after both riders opted not to risk injury by pushing for a fast lap time in the tricky conditions yesterday.

Both Marc VDS riders are now hoping for a wet race tomorrow, as neither have had time in dry conditions to work on the set-up of their Suter MMX Moto2 machines this weekend.

Hector Faubel #55: 24th - 1'56.082
"We've faced difficult conditions throughout this weekend, with the rain playing a bigger part here in Estoril than anywhere else this season. Unfortunately we lost out with the cancellation of qualifying, because we needed more time on the bike to get fully up to speed. It was the right decision, because conditions were too dangerous today, but while some riders gained from the cancellation we certainly didn't! Tomorrow will be hard; for me it would be better if it's a wet race, as it's easier to pass when conditions are difficult. Visibility will be an issue if it is wet, but we'll just have to see how we go, push as hard as we can and try and get the best result possible."

Scott Redding #45: 25th - 1'56.174
"Well, I said yesterday that there were no points for being fastest on day one, so that's another lesson learnt the hard way! Starting from 25th on the grid will make things tough in the race; I'll have to bust more moves than Michael Jackson if I'm going to fight my through the field and grab a decent result! But we'll see. I'm not going out there to fight for 15th position, I want to be higher than that and, if it's wet again tomorrow, I think it will be a little easier to work my way through the field in the early stages. Wet or not, it'll be full gas as always once the lights go out."

Michael Bartholemy: Team Manager
"The situation this afternoon shows why it's so important that a rider pushes as hard as possible in every practice session. Hector and Scott held back yesterday in the tricky conditions and today they've paid the price for that. It's a shame, because the cancellation of qualifying this afternoon has handicapped Scott and Andrea Iannone, two riders who are more than capable of winning here at Estoril. The race will be tough for both riders tomorrow, with visibility likely to be a real issue if it's wet, but I'm confident that both can fight their way into the points if they can avoid the inevitable problems at turn one."

-source: marc vds