Casey Stoner was well on the pace in the opening practice session of the TIM TT Assen on Thursday, lapping with a best time just 0.011s off Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo who topped the timesheet.
Feeling the gradual improvements of some changes to his front suspension, the Australian feels that he is slowly reaching the level he wants to, but that there is still some way to go.
“It’s been one part we’ve been struggling with this year and in the last few races that we have changed the fork we’ve made some good progress,” said Stoner, who has been using a 2009 front suspension fork. “The progress unfortunately has been a little bit slow. In Mugello we were never competitive, at Silverstone by race day we were feeling much better but then we weren’t able to make the start with the bike we had. So I’m a little disappointed because we should have had a podium result this year, quite a few I think, but it’s the way things have gone for us this season and we just need to keep focused for each race.”
He continued: “Today was no different. We made a few setting changes and improved the bike a little bit as the session went on, but we still have to make some more improvements. We’ll have a go tomorrow and see if we can make the bike turn a bit harder without losing too much traction in the rear, and we should be quite confident for the race.”
The Australian was pleased with the change to the Ruskenhoek turn at Assen, which has been shortened, and feels that it suits his style much better now.
“The old corner where they have changed it now was probably the worst part of the track for me, and probably the worst part of the season!” Stoner said. “The other bikes were able to run over the kerbs with a lot of confidence, and every time I tried to the bike wanted to highside me, so it was very difficult. This year for me it’s a lot better: a fast corner into another one. It’s actually made the track more like the old Assen, not so tight and twisty but faster and more flowing and for me it’s a lot more fun.”
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