The third practice session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway started well enough for the Pramac Racing Team, with Randy de Puniet and Loris Capirossi lapping in ninth and thirteenth. But the afternoon qualifying session did not see the green and white liveried riders on the same level. The Frenchman finished in twelfth place with the Italian in seventeenth.
Randy de Puniet:
"The first exit from the pits this afternoon went very well, although we had a rear tire with almost twenty laps and after thirty laps I recorded my best time. Then in the final try, with new tires, we were able to improve by only a few tenths of a second, and this doesn't make sense. I expected more, but we often have difficulties with new tires. I gave everything I had, tomorrow we will have to improve the bike, especially in the long corners. Our race pace is good, we aim to enter the top ten!"
Loris Capirossi:
"I'm disappointed, the team worked very well and the bike was ready. But I was not able to exploit the soft rubber as I should and I was relegated to the rear of the classification. It would take only three tenths less and we were almost in top ten, but this is not enough. We had a good start to the afternoon session but the last few laps we have not just exploited as we should. We hope to redeem in the race tomorrow, even if the shoulder pain is strong and I hope it will not cause me complications in the final part of the race."
Pramac Racing Team press release
