Rookies Cup points leader Angel Piqueras sits on pole after a blisteringly fast Qualifying session in Mugello.

Just 0.110 seconds faster than arch-rival and fellow Spaniard Màximo Quiles. Australian Jacob Roulstone completes the front row.

A beautiful Tuscan Friday started with home-country heroes Guido Pini and Dodò Boggio leading the first Free Practice session. FP2 saw last year’s Race 1 winner Quiles on top with Piqueras 5th quickest.

Early in Qualifying though Piqueras upped his pace and it always looked like a battle between himself and Quiles to top the leaderboard.

Angel Piqueras very much the man to beat
“I am happy with the bike and myself,” acknowledged the 16-year-old. “Of course, in Qualifying I was pushing hard, you must give everything in Qualifying but I feel strong and confident for the race.”

“We know that this is a track where you can have a lot of riders in a big group at the front, which can make it very difficult. If I can break away I will try, that will not be easy.”

“It’s a place with a long straight and a lot of slipstreaming. I will just do what I can.”

Màximo Quiles just as confident
“I was pushing hard, I had very good rhythm and I am happy with the day,” enthused the 15-year-old who is 80 points behind Piqueras in 4th place. “The Qualifying lap could have been quicker I was going faster and faster but always seemed to catch someone at the wrong moment so didn’t quite get the best lap.”

“We are under the lap record so that’s not bad. The bike is great and I think I can race for the win. For me I am the favourite,” he laughed. “I don’t know about everyone else.”

Quiles has a double long lap penalty to serve for causing a crash in Le Mans.

Jacob Roulstone focussing on the race
“Very happy with that,” stated the 18-year-old. “I knew that FP1 and 2 would be a challenge. In FP2 I was working alone, I wanted to see what that was like and it was worth it.”

“I went out in Qualifying determined to put all the lessons I have learnt stuffing up before, putting myself in the wrong position,” he laughed. I worked on it and put everything into the second lap. That was good and then I was surprised to be able to do multiple low ones.”

“I am hoping that tomorrow is not going to be a huge group but the bike is feeling good, it’s a pleasant surprise to be fast at the end of the straight, being one of the tallest. I just got to review everything this evening, keep calm, focus and make it work tomorrow.”

Guido Pini fast and a touch fortunate
“I’m happy with that, it ended well with P4 but it nearly didn’t,” admitted the 15-year-old Italian. “I made a mistake in the Casanova Savelli, my left foot came off, caught the road and was pulled right back to the rear wheel, I thought I would crash for a moment. I went off track but I stayed on.”

“After I got back to the track I was running with Maximo and we made a good lap time. 4th position is good for tomorrow and I think I can race at the front and I hope to fight for the win.”

“In FP2 the bike was sliding a lot because we run used tyres but in the Qualifying it was working well and I think it will be good for the race.”

Cormac Buchanan knows the race is something else
“That’s a good Qualifying result, especially after Le Mans,” enthused the 16-year-old New Zealander who qualified P6 in France. “P5 is good for tomorrow even though of all the tracks Qualifying position is not that important at Mugello. But it is still a very good way to start the weekend.”

“It does mean there is less work to do in the opening laps so we’ll see what the conditions are tomorrow could be a wet race or maybe dry, we’ll see. I don’t care if it is wet or dry, obviously last year in the rain was one of my best races even though it didn’t end the way I wanted. If it is wet I am looking for some redemption.”

“It was quite windy out there today and I am going to ask the suspension guy to make some changes overnight and hopefully it will make the bike a bit better.”

Rico Salmela not finding the right position
“Qualifying was a bit difficult,” admitted the 15-year-old Finn. “I came into the pits on the first lap, went out again but was all the time alone, working on my pace. In the last laps, I caught the group but they were slowing so I couldn’t make a really good time.”

“Still, tomorrow is the race, I hope it will be good, I think it will be a big group. We’ll see what we can do, fight for it.”

“I am thinking if I should change something to improve the front. I will talk to the engineer. The bike is good though, I think I can fight at the front.”

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