Agius & Binder launch points attack from row 5 in Australia
The home race of LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto2 rider Senna Agius at the Phillip Island Circuit on Australia's south coast could not have been more exciting with the changeable conditions. The local hero, together with his team-mate Darryn Binder, secured the fifth row of the grid for Sunday's 23-lap race.
Wearing a special helmet made especially for his home Grand Prix, Senna Agius will roll onto the thirteenth spot in row 5 of the grid on Sunday and immediately do everything he can to make up as many positions as possible. But before the young Australian could switch to race mode, Agius had to assert himself in the changeable conditions, which have varied from session to session since Friday. A wet free practice session was followed by a dry P1 and then another wet P2 on Saturday morning, which he finished fastest. Only the two qualifying sessions then took place in dry conditions again, which meant that the 19-year-old emerged from Q1 as the leader and made good use of his opportunity in Q2 with a fifth-row start. The way to the top will certainly not be possible without taking risks, but the Aussie feels comfortable with his Kalex and trusts in his strong race pace. At the same time, he hopes not only to put on a great show for his crew and the home fans but also to fill them with pride with a strong race result.
Darryn Binder will also line up on row five. The South African's Friday times of P12 in free practice and a P14 in P1 put him straight into Q2 after P2 was wet again on Saturday morning and the times could not be improved any further. In the 15-minute Q2 session, the 26-year-old finally finished fifteenth on the grid with a 1'32.036 and 1.160s behind pole setter Fermin Aldeguer, which puts the experienced Binder directly on course for points.
The Moto2 race starts at 03:15 (CEST) and should provide one of the most exciting Grand Prix of the year, for which the two riders of the German racing team have big plans.
Results
FP (wet)
1. Aron CANET/ SPA/ KALEX - 1'41.620
2. Mario AJI/ INA/ KALEX – 1'41.661 (+0.041)
3. Alonso LOPEZ/ SPA/ BOSCOSCURO – 1'41.772 (+0.152)
11. Senna AGIUS/ AUS/ KALEX – 1'43.264 (+1.644)
12. Darryn BINDER/ RSA/ KALEX – 1'43.406 (+1.786)
P1 (dry)
1. Fermin ALDEGUER/ SPA/ BOSCOSCURO – 1'32.718
2. Aron CANET/ SPA/ KALEX – 1'32.995 (+0.277)
3. Alonso LOPEZ/ SPA/ BOSCOSCURO – 1'33.025 (+0.307)
14. Darryn BINDER/ RSA/ KALEX – 1'34.145 (+1.427)
15. Senna AGIUS/ AUS/ KALEX – 1'34.172 (+1.454)
P2 (wet)
1. Senna AGIUS/ AUS/ KALEX – 1'42.635
2. Tony ARBOLINO/ ITA/ KALEX – 1'43.223(+0.588)
3. Darryn BINDER/ RSA/ KALEX – 1'43.315 (+0.680)
Q1 (dry)
1. Senna AGIUS/ AUS/ KALEX – 1'31.586
2. Dennis FOGGIA/ ITA/ KALEX – 1'31.792 (+0.206)
3. Ayumu SASAKI/ JPN/ KALEX – 1'31.794 (+0.208)
Q2 (dry)
1. Fermin ALDEGUER/ SPA/ BOSCOSCURO – 1'30.876
2. Aron CANET/ SPA/ KALEX – 1'31.072 (+0.196)
3. Alonso LOPEZ/ SPA/ BOSCOSCURO – 1'31.144 (+0.268)
13. Senna AGIUS/ AUS/ KALEX – 1'31.661 (+0.785)
15. Darryn BINDER/ RSA/ KALEX – 1'32.036 (+1.160)
