The sun broke through the overcast before the finish of the 125cc forty-minute practice session early Saturday morning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The ambient temperatures was 64 degrees F/18C, track temperature 68 degreesF/20C and no forecast of rain so far. The track was dry, no doubt helped by the stiff breeze. The traffic was light coming into the track.
At the end of the session, with the sun in hiding, BRADLEY SMITH/Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc Aprilia was the first rider to break the 1:50 mark and was the fastest 125cc rider with a time of 1:49.251. Three other riders were below 1:50: POL ESPARGARO/Derbi Racing Team Derbi at 1:49.577 in second position; NICOLAS TEROL/Jack & Jones Team Aprilia and Bradley’s teammate and Points leader JULIAN SIMON in fourth place at 1:49.983. Fifth was STEFAN BRADL/Vietnam Kiefer Racing Aprilia.
Bradl holds the circuit lap record of 1:50.460 mph/137.403 km/h set last year.
SCOTT REDDING/Blueness Aprilia fell off his motorcycle while leading the session, but he was not hurt. He ended up ninth.
Thirty-two riders were on track. Wild Card rider, BEN YOUNG/Veloce Racing Aprilia was outside the 107 per cent. The young American still has a chance to qualify Saturday afternoon.
Twenty-three of the thirty-three 125cc entries run Aprilia motorcycles. The other manufacturers are Derbi, Honda, Loncin and KTM.
The MotoGP fans in town for the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix come from all over, perhaps more from out of the area, state or country than locals. In my lodgings, there is a 250cc team, visitors from Hungary and five Brazilians who rode their motorcycles all the way from home – 42 days on the road. Now that’s dedication!