MotoGP Catalunya: McPhee ‘making good progress’ as comeback continues

Sterilgarda Husqvarna’s John McPhee will launch from the fourth row for the Moto3 Catalan GP after securing 11th in Saturday’s qualifying.

After a day of testing, McPhee set about the real task at hand from the outset of FP3. The cooler conditions providing the Scot with the chance to improve his lap time with a personal best of 1’48.527, granting him direct entry into the afternoon’s pole shootout.

Intense 53ºC track temperatures, however, were not conducive to faster times. The 27-year-old’s best effort of 1’48.925 - six-tenths off Dennis Foggia’s pole time - placed him in the centre of the fourth row for Sunday’s 21-lap race.

“I am happy with the qualifying, because it was the best position we got in the weekend so far,’ McPhee said from Spain. “We used yesterday almost as a test since it’s only two weeks that I came back from my injury. I think it was important to try and develop the bike and try to find a little bit better setting. Finally, we are making good progress.

“The most important thing is that for the race we have a good feeling with the bike and I think that at the end of the race I will play at its benefits.

“I am overall happy for today and excited for the race of tomorrow. I definitely feel confident to fight for the top positions, as we have shown in the last two races. We have the pace to be there in the front group.

“The biggest thing, honestly speaking, it has been my physical conditions after having two months of no training. It has been difficult to come back and be strong until the end of the race, but week by week I feel stronger. We will see how we are in the hot conditions tomorrow, but I know we can be there.”