Strong fourth starting position for Suzuki in Malaysian Grand Prix
In a heated qualifying session for the final race of the overseas tour, Tatsuki Suzuki grabbed the second row while last year's Malaysia winner Collin Veijer took eighth place on the grid.
After Tatsuki Suzuki rounded off the top 10 on Friday at the Sepang International Circuit and again on Saturday morning, and was thus safely in Q2, the Japanese rider was able to move up closer to the top with his time in qualifying. Just half a second behind pole-setter Adrian Fernandez, he secured fourth place on the grid and his best qualifying result so far this year.
Collin Veijer, who celebrated a brilliant victory in Malaysia in 2023, improved his lap time again on Saturday morning after his fifth place on Friday and started the afternoon's Q2-qualifying well equipped in fifth place. In his final time attack on the 5.54-kilometre track, however, he was left to his own and was also disrupted by yellow flags, which ultimately meant eighth place on the grid in row three. Nevertheless, the 19-year-old will start the 15-lap race tomorrow at 12:00 Malaysian time feeling confident.
Results
FP
1. Angel PIQUERAS / SPA / HONDA - 2'23.835
2. David ALMANSA / SPA / HONDA - 2'24.355 (+0.520)
3. David MUÑOZ / SPA / KTM - 2'24.387 (+0.552)
6. Tatsuki SUZUKI/ JPN/ HUSQVARNA – 2'25.002 (+1.167)
8. Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 2'25.380 (+1.545)
P1
1. David ALONSO / COL / CFMOTO - 2'11.241
2. Adrian FERNANDEZ / SPA / HONDA - 2'11.457 (+0.216)
3. Taiyo FURUSATO / JPN / HONDA - 2'11.707 (+0.466)
5. Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 2'11.801 (+0.560)
10. Tatsuki SUZUKI/ JPN/ HUSQVARNA – 2'12.245 (+1.004)
P2
1. Adrian FERNANDEZ / SPA / HONDA - 2'10.102
2. Angel PIQUERAS / SPA / HONDA - 2'10.284 (+0.182)
3. Ivan ORTOLA / SPA / KTM - 2'10.488 (+0.386)
5. Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 2'10.579 (+0.477)
10. Tatsuki SUZUKI/ JPN/ HUSQVARNA – 2'10.761 (+0.659)
Q2
1. Adrian FERNANDEZ / SPA / HONDA - 2'09.542
2. Ivan ORTOLA / SPA / KTM - 2'09.895 (+0.353)
3. David ALONSO / COL / CFMOTO - 2'10.015 (+0.473)
4. Tatsuki SUZUKI / JPN / HUSQVARNA - 2'10.128 (+0.586)
8. Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 2'10.518 (+0.976)
