Positive start to Indy weekend for Redding

A top ten time on Friday has given Scott Redding reason for optimism with the Marc VDS rider setting eighth fastest time and looking confident on the bike. In Germany Redding had a more encouraging weekend and he’s carried that form to Indy.

“It was good,” said Redding. “We have a few little things we need to try tomorrow, because when I put like four or five laps together, I start to lose front grip, with the tyre temperature going up. With both front tires. I ran the hard which was better, but still the temperature goes up, the pressure goes up, we lose the front grip. But in general it wasn’t too bad. Also the rear tire drops quite quick, so we need to work a little bit for keeping the consistency, but overall it wasn’t really a bad start to the second part of the season.”

Qualifying has consistently been the bugbear of Redding and until he can prove that he can set the times in FP3 and get into the all important top ten spots guaranteed a spot in QP2 races will be a struggle. In Indy however Redding felt that he had made a step with his riding and can now feel the benefit of a fresh tyre over a single lap.

“I think we are closer to getting that performance in qualifying. We put in a new tyre this afternoon, and I went half a second quicker. That’s a positive thing here, I feel the difference with a new tyre, so I’m hoping for qualifying we can maintain that rhythm. We’ll see, that’s the only thing we can do, just give it our best and try to get everything out of it.

“When I put the new tire in, I could feel I would get the lap time, so we need to see in qualifying. Obviously, by FP3, the lap time is going to be strong, and then for qualifying to go more is difficult. But we have to see.”