Veda Ega Pratama expressed his disappointment after finishing 15th in the Moto3 British Grand Prix qualifying session at Silverstone Circuit on Saturday (8/8), which forced him to start from fifth row on race day Sunday (9/8). The qualifying result kept him away from his target of battling with the front group during the race.
Veda Ega said he had made a strategic mistake during the qualifying session. The Gunungkidul-born rider explained that he was waiting for the right moment to follow another rider, but the remaining time became too short. "During qualifying, I knew that following another rider could be very helpful, so I waited for the right moment; however, we waited too long until finally I decided to go on my own," he said, adding that he made a mistake in that lap and did not have enough time to change tyres and get back on track.
Veda Ega stated that data from Friday showed his team's potential to battle much closer with the front row. "Of course I'm disappointed, because Friday showed that we had the potential to compete much closer with the front row," he said, adding that he and his team need to understand what happened and what aspects could be improved.
This is not the first time Veda Ega has started from outside the front row this season. At the Moto3 Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez Circuit, he started from 17th position but finished sixth, while at Moto3 Catalunya he started from 21st position and finished eighth. At Moto3 Italy, Veda Ega started 13th and then finished eighth.
Veda Ega is committed to maximising his performance on race day. "I will start the race from 15th position, so tomorrow is a new opportunity. I will fight to gain every position, try to improve my position as much as possible, and give everything to achieve a satisfying result," he said.
